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NYSDEC Continues Push For Additional Hudson River Cleanup

Dredging of the Hudson River
EPA

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is again asking the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to require additional cleanup work on the Hudson River.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation released a report December 20th claiming the removal of toxic PCBs from the Hudson River conducted by General Electric and overseen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency “is not protective of the public or the environment.”

The release of DEC’s Independent Analysis comes in anticipation of the 2017 release of EPA’s Five Year Review of the Hudson River cleanup.

DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos writes, "It's simple. DEC is calling on the EPA to finish the job and hold GE accountable for cleaning up the Hudson River. If EPA won't do the job and protect New Yorkers and the environment, DEC is ready to step in and lead."

DEC has determined that high concentrations of PCBs harmful to humans and the environment remain in fish in portions of the river.  DEC claims that based on collected data, the completed dredging from Fort Edward to Troy will not meet PCB concentration targets in fish “unless additional actions are undertaken.”

DEC is also asking that EPA to explore the prospect of dredging from the Federal Dam in Troy to New York City.

Environmental groups are pleased with the steps taken by New York.

Scenic Hudson President Ned Sullivan said it’s now up to the Obama administration to take action. 

“The EPA should accept New York’s findings and before it leaves office on January 20th, accept New York’s five-year-review as its own and state unequivocally that the remedy that GE has implemented to date fails to protect the environment and public health and that additional cleanup is necessary,” said Sullivan.

GE maintains that it has removed a majority of PCBs from the upper Hudson and has met all commitments to EPA. GE spokesman Mark Behan…

“We have done everything EPA asked, and what we are seeing so far is very good early signs that the dredging project was a success because PCB levels have declined dramatically,” said Behan. “As for New York state’s role, I think the record shows that New York state approved the dredging project and was fully involved in every aspect of it. It oversaw the remedy, it supervised the work, and it was instrumental in every major decision.”

EPA says it will take DEC’s comments into account as it conducts its five-year review for the PCB cleanup. It’s scheduled to be completed in April.

EPA has responded to a November letter by Commissioner Seggos asking the federal agency for additional sediment sampling.

EPA Regional Administrator Judith Enck wrote in a letter dated December 16, “We do not believe that the additional 1,800 samples requested by NYSDEC are needed either for the [Operation, Maintenance and Monitoring] program or the five-year review, and do not believe that conditions in the river have changed since 2010 in a manner that warrants the significant changes requested by NYSDEC.”

Lucas Willard is a reporter and host at WAMC Northeast Public Radio, which he joined in 2011.
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