The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today that next week the Hudson To date, about 2.5 million cubic yards of sediment contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been removed. In 2014 approximately 575,000 cubic yards of PCB-contaminated sediment were dredged from the bottom of the river, exceeding the annual goal of 350,000 cubic yards. The agency said that dredging will resume next spring when the Champlain Canal reopens for the season. The remaining dredge areas are expected to be completed next year. Habitat planting and reconstruction will continue in 2016. The historic EPA-mandated cleanup, which began in 2009, targets approximately 2.65 million cubic yards of contaminated sediment from a 40-mile stretch of the Upper Hudson River between Fort Edward and Troy, New York. According to the EPA, For nearly thirty years, ending in the late 1970’s, an estimated 1.3 PCBs are potentially cancer-causing chemicals that persist in the environment and can affectthe immune, reproductive, nervous and endocrine systems. GE is conducting the cleanup work with EPA oversight under an agreement with the agency. According to GE, the company has invested more than $1 billion on the cleanup project to date. Over the next several weeks, clean sand and gravel will be placed over previously dredged areas. The dredged material remaining at GE’s de-watering and processing facility in Fort Edward will be shipped by train to permitted out-of-state disposal facilities by the end of the year. Recent blog posts: Pitt research examines air pollution and a rise in Autism Yo Philly, that’s a fine-looking sewage overflow tank Energy and environment bills on tap today in Trenton Philadelphia becoming shale energy hub is no slam dunk Tocks Island behind it, Del. Water Gap looks to future NJ Senate panel withholds vote on Gov.’s Pinelands picks |
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