Why Was a New York River Bubbling and Rumbling? Environmentalists Stumped by Mysterious Marvel

State environmentalists are stumped by bizarre bubbles that roiled the shoreline of New York's majestic Hudson River.

The strange phenomenon looked like boiling water and was accompanied last week by black smoke rising from the river.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation is investigating the strange sight in Rockland County, first reported last week by a resident on his morning walk.

Owen Cramsie, who’s lived near the river for 35 years, says he took video of the roiling, noisy water and sent it to Riverkeeper, a nonprofit group that monitors and takes care of the Hudson.

In turn, Riverkeeper sent it to the DEC.

"I see vigorous bubbling along the shoreline. I've never seen anything like it in my life. I've been around the water my whole life," John Lipscomb, an environmental expert with Riverkeeper, told CBS News.

The affected area is near a power plant that burns natural gas to create energy.

"At this point, we don't know that it's anything more than just air. It's really just a mystery to be solved. It's not a problem for the environment. But it is important to know what it is," Lipscomb said. 

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