Otherwise, millions of Americans could lose their heating oil supplies.
The Hudson River is even more frozen than usual this time of year because of recent frigid temperatures.
The ice is up to a foot thick in places.
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Lieutenant Ken Sauerbrunn of the United States Coast Guard Cutter Sturgeon Bay explains how his ship and crew breaks through thick ice on the river, a vital route for transporting American heating oil and other goods. Sauerbrunn describes this year’s ice accumulation as a “significant ice event” that could be dangerous without cutters like his.
“We’ve seen a lot more ice this winter than the two previous winters,” says Sauerbrunn.
The Hudson River flows 315 miles (507 km) from north to south through eastern New York State in the United States. The river begins at Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York, then flows southward past the state capital at Albany and eventually forms the boundary between New York City and the state of New Jersey at its mouth, emptying into Upper New York Bay. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudson_River)
Thanks to D Bishop for this link