With the summer season officially underway, local officials want to make sure that boaters stay safe while boating near the Tappan Zee Bridge.

Rockland County Executive Ed Day and Sheriff Louis Falco spoke at the Piermont Marina Friday about ramped-up patrols in the area near the construction project. They said that the changes to boating regulations will be critical not only for the safety of boaters, but also for the health of the economy.

Some changes to regulations include increased patrolling of the waters, stricter enforcement for boat operators who drive while intoxicated, and the marking of navigation channels to help direct traffic.

Falco said he wants people to enjoy boating, but they need to do so safely and respectfully.

The incentive behind the new regulation changes comes off the heels of a tragedy on the Hudson River when a bride-to-be and her groom's best man were killed in a boating accident last July.