U.S. Coast Guard buoy removal plan isn't floating well with some in Huntington

The Coast Guard notes that an increasing number of mariners are using electronic charting systems and navigation apps. Credit: Town of Huntington/ Garrett Chelius
A U.S. Coast Guard plan to modernize maritime navigation systems could include removing hundreds of buoys and other markers in the Northeast, and that has the attention of Huntington officials, who are offering town markers to replace two buoys that might be removed from local waters.
The Coast Guard says it will accept public comments on its proposal to remove about 350 of the 5,640 buoys and navigational aids that it maintains from northern New Jersey to Maine.
"The main drivers of this initiative are to catch up with how mariners are utilizing modern technology on the water, as well as enhancing the overall efficiency and sustainability of the buoy network that the Coast Guard maintains," said Lt. Jonathan Roth, interim Public Affairs officer for the Long Island Sound sector of the Coast Guard.
The agency notes that an increasing number of mariners are using electronic charting systems and navigation apps.
About two dozen buoys off both coasts of Long Island are being considered for removal. The public comment period is open until June 13, Coast Guard and local officials say.
Two 'key' markers eyed
Huntington officials, in a press release encouraging "concerned boaters and residents to send correspondence to the Coast Guard" during the public comment period, say "two key navigational markers" are part of the removal plan: a red bell buoy near Target Rock in Long Island Sound, and Gong 1, described as a large, green buoy west of Lloyd Neck.
In an interview, Town Supervisor Ed Smyth said whatever happens with the buoys, Huntington’s waters will be safe. “If the Coast Guard does remove those markers, the town is committed to putting something appropriate in their place that the town would maintain,” Smyth said.
However, Roth said local municipalities generally would not be able to replace the buoys “without going through specific processes with the Coast Guard.”
The town's release included a joint statement from Director of Maritime Services Fred Uvena and Deputy Director Garrett Chelius voicing their concerns with the removal plan. They noted that not all mariners use GPS navigation systems, and that "many are in kayaks, sunfish or catamarans and they don’t bring electronics with them in those water crafts."
Roth said no decision has been finalized and that input from the public will be a factor.
“It’s imperative that we hear from the public and stakeholders to ensure that our proposed changes are thoughtful, effective, and responsive to the needs of all waterway users,” he said.
The buoy removal recommendation comes from a Coast Guard study that looked at navigable waters less than 12 feet deep, he said.
Vow of a 'robust' navigational system
Coast Guard officials say the setup of the current buoy system was put in place before navigation satellite systems and electronic navigation charting systems.
Roth said the plan is not to replace physical navigational aids with virtual buoys. If a buoy is removed, mariners will be able to rely on remaining physical aids such as nearby buoys, or a lighthouse. Or they can use charts, GPS or other technology, Roth said.
A “robust” physical aid to navigation network will always be in place, Coast Guard officials said. To maintain safety standards each year, the agency will review feedback and incident rates in areas where navigational aids have been removed.
Jeff Urquhart, a licensed captain and vice commodore for the Greater Huntington Boating Council, a 21-member organization that advocates on behalf of boaters, said physical markers are key navigational tools when out on the water.
“Very often you can lose a point on the horizon or the shoreline, so reference points are important, and you need to see them physically and hear them,” Urquhart said.
Uvena, separately in an interview, agreed with Urquhart's assessment, adding that relying on technology is problematic and he would not recommend removing physical buoys.
“Sometime it’s best to stick with the old-fashioned way,” Uvena said.
Roth noted there are about 45 other federally maintained navigation aids near Huntington that are not marked for changes.
Comments referencing the Coast Guard plan — Project No. 01-25-015 — should be emailed to D01-SMB-DPWPublicComments@uscg.mil by June 13, Coast Guard officials said.
Marker removal plan
According to the U.S. Coast Guard, the proposed plan to deactivate navigational aids from northern New Jersey to Maine is aimed to:
- "Support the navigational needs of the 21st century"
- "Deliver efficient and economical service to manage vessel transit at an acceptable level of risk"
- "Better maintain the most critical risk-reducing buoys"
- "Reduce the risk of aids to navigation discrepancies and electronic system failures for those aids most critical to safe navigation"
Credit: U.S. Coast Guard
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