Harbor vs. Seaweed

The harbor may have to be modified or dropped from the design of the de Laet's Landing project, so as not to disturb the underwater vegetation. The article below is currently hidden behind a pay wall, but a few paragraphs are visible.

The Business Review: Seaweed stymies U.W. Marx plans for Rensselaer harbor project

Underwater vegetation—seaweed, essentially—is forcing big changes to a proposed $250 million to $300 million riverfront marina, residential and office development with views of the downtown Albany skyline.

In the meantime, you can read the State Environmental Quality Review Findings Statement. Go to the Rensselaer Riverfront Redevelopment Google Group and click on "DeLaet's Landing SEQR Findings_FINAL.PDF" (excerpt below).

Findings Statement - Rensselaer Waterfront Redevelopment Project
...
V. Project Impacts
...
4. Impacts to Flora and Fauna: The proposed action proposes reshaping and engineering of Hudson River shoreline adjacent to the project site. Habitat areas for sturgeon, mussels and other aquatic species have been indicated in the Albany waterfront area. Additionally, there are submerged aquatic vegetation beds with potential ecological significance that would be negatively impacted by reconfiguration and engineering the shoreline. DEC Environmental Resource maps indicated that the project is located within the vicinity of one or more rare animals. A site-specific habitat study, however, confirmed that no rare or endangered animal species were present.

Here's the U.W. Marx site for the project. Learn about the State Environmental Quality Review here.

UPDATE:

Times-Union: De Laet's Landing delayed by weed

State wants waterfront project reworked to protect 'water celery'