The North River Shipyard is making waves among some residents in the Village of Upper Nyack as a deadline looms for it to renew a special permit.
Adam Budgor lives up the shoreline from the shipyard and is a member of the Goosetown Environmental Association. He says the biggest concerns about the shipyard include air quality, river pollution and the blockage of views.
The group also alleges the business has done things without the necessary approvals. Budgor says he has drone photos to prove it – pointing to a big red crane that he says was supposed to be removed. He says it was instead put on a barge outside of Nyack’s municipal authority.
"The good news is that people care,” said Budgor. “The question is whether or not our agencies, whether it be Upper Nyack or otherwise, are actually going to do anything about it."
In 2015, the shipyard was granted a special permit that allowed the business to do more building and fix boats. The deadline to apply for a special permit before the Upper Nyack Planning Board is April 1.
The Upper Nyack Environmental Protection Fund started a
Change.org petition to appeal to regulators to examine the special use permit.
News 12 reached out to both the Shipyard and village for comment but has not yet heard back.