Marinas and boatyards reopen in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut

Marinas, boatyards and marine manufacturers have been permitted to reopen in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut as the metropolitan region continues to treat the coronavirus pandemic.

These waterfront areas were closed for weeks as strict social distancing rules were implemented across the region. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, and Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont announced the reopening, according to Business Insider.

“Our states share workforces, resources, public transit, and we all share a connection on the water,” Governor Lamont said in the statement. “This is yet another example of how our states have shared interests, which is all the more reason to collaborate on these kinds of decisions. This decision provides uniformity across our marinas.”

The areas will only be available for personal use, so chartered services and rentals will remain suspended. Nearby restaurants will still be limited to take-out or delivery service as well. The three states said they’ve adopted this shared policy to ensure there was no confusion or efforts to shop between states for waterfront access.

“Throughout this pandemic, we’ve worked closely with our friends in neighbouring states to implement a uniform regional approach to reducing the spread of the virus,” Cuomo says. “Aligning our policies in this area is another example of that strong partnership, and will help ensure there is no confusion or ‘state shopping’ when it comes to marinas and boatyards.”

Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York are members of an 18-state regional coalition coordinating a plan for recovery once the coronavirus pandemic reaches a more manageable stage. Cuomo announced the coalition on April 13.

New York has most coronavirus cases of any state in the US, with 236,732 infections and 17,140 deaths, according to data from the CDC and NBC News. New Jersey has the second-most, with 81,420 cases and 4,070 deaths. Connecticut has had a much slower rate of infection, with 17,550 cases and 1,086 deaths, according to Business Insider.