POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y.— A Westchester County-based environmental group has gone to court to stop a tour boat company from operating its Hudson River cruises at a publicly-owned dock in Poughkeepsie.

The Poughkeepsie Journal reports that the lawsuit filed by Ossining-based Riverkeeper claims Empire Cruise Line’s presence at a city-owned waterfront park in Poughkeepsie limits public access to the river, creates a safety hazard and violates state environmental law.

The company began offering river cruises in May under a 10-year agreement that pays the city $2,500 per year.

Riverkeeper’s lawsuit says Empire’s cruise boat takes up nearly all of the dock that has been used for years by boaters to access the river. The group wants the boat docked at a different location.

Empire officials say company employees help boaters access the river via a ramp near the dock.