MM1 Comment Submitted by Uditha Meegahathenna
Uditha MeegahathennaOpposeIndividual
Summary: The commenter opposes the proposed rulemaking, arguing that it fails to protect the marine environment while creating significant risks for navigation safety, national security, and the economy. They specifically express concern over the lack of defined anchorage grounds, the potential for increased high-voltage cable installation, and the disruption of the Hudson River Green Highway.
The text for this rulemaking [Docket Number USCG–2026–0042] includes several regulatory actions that will have significant impacts to navigation safety, environment protection, supply chains, national security as well as economic impacts. The outcomes of this action will not achieve the purpose of this rulemaking putting the marine environment of the Hudson River at risk. Without defined Anchorage Grounds, and the uncertainty of the location of High-Voltage Cables, puts commercial operators at peril when anchoring on the Hudson River to mitigate risk while navigating in various conditions including restricted visibility. The actual outcome of this rulemaking will provide foreign power companies open access to install more high-voltage cables, restrict recreational and commercial vessels to anchor only in Special Anchorage Areas, and eventually shut down the Hudson River Green Highway forcing millions of trucks a month to deliver cargo on the interstate highway system.
Please consider the many negative impacts by this rulemaking and the ineffectiveness of this regulation in achieving its stated purpose. This rulemaking puts our national environment, economy, and quality of life at severe risk. We urge that decisions impacting our Maritime Transportation System be decided by experts in navigation based on facts and not on hysterics.