Upper Hudson River is non-tidal, consists of a series of pools separated
Can EPA require GE to do more active remediation work in the Upper Hudson River, even after the "Certification of the Completion of the Remedial Action" has been issued? in this analysis is considered low. TQs for the bald eagle exceed 1 through 2018 (the entire forecast period)
When cross-examined, another GE expert witness, Dr. James Tiedje, admitted his doubt as to the feasibility of GE's proposed biodegradation alternative and the consequent fate of the river: "There is some activity going on there. Future body burdens in fish are expected to exceed TRVs through 2018 (the
There are several newly developing technologies, including chemical, biological or thermal treatment, that could be used to treat the PCBs. Protecting people's health and complying with certain federal and state legal requirements are the main drivers of any cleanup plan. Water quality data are collected weekly or monthly depending on location. August 1998 Database for the Hudson River PCBs Reassessment RI/FS [Release
or impair the survival, growth, and reproductive capability of mammals
If future site conditions warrant, additional response actions can be taken, using the Superfund trust fund or by potentially responsible parties. Relisting on the NPL is not necessary; however, sites can be restored to the NPL if extensive response work is required. After the RI/FS is completed and public input is sought, EPA will make a remedy selection decision. (518) 407-0400 ALBANY, NY - Under a legal agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) General Electric Company (GE) will investigate the Lower River portion of the Hudson River PCBs Superfund site to determine next steps for addressing contamination. Property originally owned by New York State, which included the wharf property, is expected to be returned to the state with the infrastructure improvements. congeners on the survival, growth, and reproduction of fish and wildlife
Government trustees assessing damage to the Hudson River from prolonged PCB contamination on Thursday . A "reopener" is a provision in a judicial Consent Decree that allows EPA, under specified circumstances, to seek additional relief in a matter that was resolved through the CD. endpoints identified for the ERA are: 1) benthic community indices, such as richness, abundance, diversity
What does EPA look for in fish samples in the Hudson River? What is EPA's role in cleaning up the Hudson River under the National Priorities List (Superfund) designation? In the post-dredging period starting in 2016, a major purpose of sediment sampling has been to determine the surface sediment concentration - that is, the levels of PCBs in just the top two inches of sediment. Shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum) O
Study / Proposed Plan. Collectively, they indicate that current (1993) and future PCB exposures
future risks to the environment in the Upper Hudson River (Hudson Falls,
go up the food chain through two or more trophic levels). Report are expected to be within an order of magnitude, but likely closer
Supported by community partners and our dedicated members, we remain present at every stage of this historic remediation and continue to press for the most comprehensive cleanup possible. The New York State Canal Corporation is responsible for managing and maintaining the Champlain Canal system including the navigation channel. The purpose of the new assessment will be to determine whether additional study and/or cleanup is necessary in this portion of the river. This conclusion
PCBs in the Hudson: PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) are a class of 209 industrial chemicals that are very persistent environmental contaminants. Between 1947 and 1977, General Electric polluted the Hudson River by discharging polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) causing a range of harmful effects to wildlife and people who eat fish from the river. the mink and river otter exceed TRVs under current and future conditions
This is because PCBs are typically found in low-lying areas next to the river, which are usually not good for residential gardening due to frequent flooding. Risks to threatened and endangered species were evaluated using four
environment in the Lower Hudson River (Federal Dam to the Battery in New
Toxic equivalency (TEQ)
Collectively, they indicate that current and future concentrations of
However, current and future exposures to the PCBs may reduce
is tidal, does not have dams, and is freshwater in the vicinity of the
avian receptor eggs) to determine exceedance of effect-level thresholds
We will continue the fight, as long as it takes, to reclaim the Hudsons full potential. PCBs site in New York. EPA strictly limited the total acreage on which a cap would be constructed. 1936 First study revealing major health and safety problems associated with PCBs. In various locations in the Upper Hudson River, the Champlain Canal navigational channel runs through the main stem of the river. PCBs into the Upper Hudson River from the company's two capacitor manufacturing plants at Hudson Falls and Ft. Edward, and the need to mitigate its effects. Brown bullhead (Ictalurus nebulosus)
In February 2002, the EPA issued a Record of Decision (ROD) for the Hudson River PCBs Superfund Site that called for targeted environmental dredging of approximately 2.65 million cubic yards of PCB-contaminated sediment from a 40-mile section of the Upper Hudson River from Fort Edward to Troy, NY. EPA has classified these as "areas of interest" which will be tracked in the coming years. The purpose is to look at how polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) affect people's nervous system. Given the magnitude
In the Hudson River dredging project, it was recognized that full achievement of the dredging specifications would not be possible in all locations. and accumulated in tissue to levels greater than those found in surrounding
The Hudson River PCBs site is the 200 miles (322 km) of river from Hudson
JavaScript appears to be disabled on this computer. As the levels of PCBs in sediment decline, the modeling also predicts that the levels of PCBs in fish will improve at a similar rate. As PCB levels in fish populations continue to diminish, the risks to ecological receptors (other animals) will also continue to decline. The Superfund law created several categories of entities that are responsible for the costs of hazardous substance cleanup. In a small number of locations, EPA identified "areas of interest" where concentrations are higher than in the surrounding area (see answers to Questions 46-47). entire forecast period) in the Upper Hudson River for several of the upper
In 2017 the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) collected nearly twelve hundred surface sediment samples, in both dredged and non-dredged areas across all three River Sections. In the meantime, when sampling discloses any area of immediate concern, that area is promptly addressed. a moderate degree of uncertainty in the modeled fish body burdens and
Cuomo Administration and State Attorney Generals Office Call on EPA Not to Let GE Quit PCB Cleanup Before its Done, Scenic Hudson Statement about Results of New DEC Sampling Study of PCB Contamination, Analysis Shows Significant PCB Recontamination Has Occurred in Dredged Areas of Upper Hudson River, Cuomo Administration and State Attorney Generals Office Call on EPA Not to Let GE Quit PCB Cleanup Before its Done, Flawed Data and Analysis Fatally Undermine EPAs Findings that Hudson PCB Cleanup Will Protect Environment and Public Health. (EPA Draft Final, Hot Spot Feasibility Study, New Bedford Harbor, July 1989). largemouth bass and striped bass, are especially at risk. Last year, they announced plans to begin a pilot project involving substantial "interference". The remedy significantly reduced PCB concentrations in dredged areas. Tribal Nations, Contact Us Search:
Consequently, the amount of Tri+ PCBs may be somewhat reduced, as higher-chlorinated molecules lose chlorine atoms. Does issuance to GE of the "Certification of Completion of the Remedial Action" mean that the company has no further obligations in the Hudson River? What is EPA doing to address PCB-contaminated soil in the floodplain, including abandoned Champlain Canal segments? As defined in the ERA, the Upper Hudson River is the 40 mile (64 km) stretch from Hudson Falls to the Federal Dam at Troy. To integrate the various components of the ERA, the results of the risk
Based on samples taken between 2002 and 2005, prior to the dredging project, average PCB concentrations in surface sediments were as follows: Based on the samples taken in 2016 and 2017, after the completion of the dredging project, average PCB concentrations in surface sediments were as follows: These reductions in surface sediment concentrations are the result of both the dredging and the natural recovery of the river sediment in non-dredged areas. On two occasions prior to EPA's remedy selection, samples of sediment were collected and analyzed for PCBs. This will help remove soil that adheres to the vegetables. What is the certification of completion, as specified in the 2006 Consent Decree? Twice a year, in spring and fall, fish are collected at the same locations. It does not determine whether site work is completed. On December 20th, New York Governor Cuomo issued a press release saying that a New York Department of Environmental . at all locations through 2018 (the entire forecast period). They detected no elevated levels of contaminants outside of the immediate dredging area. Maintenance of authorized navigational depths is not the responsibility of the federal Superfund program. The primary goal of the project was to reduce PCB levels in sediment in order to reduce PCB concentrations in river water and fish. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. About 310,000 pounds of PCBs were removed through the dredging - about twice the amount projected in the ROD. Falls to the Battery in New York City. The purpose of the sampling is to determine the levels of PCBs in fish tissue, as humans and other animals are exposed to PCBs in the river through fish consumption. EPA has announced that it will carry out supplemental studies of the Lower Hudson River, from Troy south to the New York City Harbor. If the decision is to require cleanup work, EPA would then look to the potentially responsible parties to perform that work. and reproduction of these species. At each step of the risk assessment process there are sources of uncertainty. are not expected to be of a sufficient magnitude to prevent reproduction
(State of New York Industrial Hazardous Waste Facility Siting Board Hearings in the matter of Applications of the NYS DEC, to dredge PCBs from the Hudson River and to construct and operate a Hazardous Waste Management Facility in the town of Fort Edward, Washington County, NY, TRANSCRIPT OF PROCEEDINGS, 1987). Prior to the completion of the multi-year study, actions will be taken as necessary to address exposures related to PCB contamination. (Property owners who believe they have suffered damage may wish to consult with an attorney to determine whether they may be able to assert a legal claim.). These reviews were carried out by EPA in consultation with New York State and the federal natural resource trustees (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Protection and maintenance (survival, growth, and reproduction) of local
power of the Hudson River since 1963. In contrast, the Lower Hudson River
The ERA does not characterize injury to, impact on, or threat to every
GE removed some 450,000 cubic yards of sediment from the navigation channel as part of the remedial dredging project carried out pursuant to the EPA ROD. What is the purpose of EPA's evaluation of samples taken by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation in 2017? TQs for total PCBs. Considering that PCBs could be present at any given location in the floodplain, residents should take simple precautions to minimize potential exposures when spending time in floodplain areas. This project is needed for reduced risk to our health and for the protection and restoration of our environment. Gardening and eating homegrown vegetables are not major sources of PCB exposure. from the Hudson River are at risk from PCB exposure. The Hudson River Natural Resource Trustees have not yet filed a natural resource damage claim. Nevertheless, EPA assumed in the ROD that the modeling results would approximate the results in nature when viewed over a longer time frame. This is because PCBs are generally found in low-lying areas next to the river, which are usually not good for residential gardening due to frequent flooding. or impaired reproduction or recruitment of new individuals. trophic level fish (such as largemouth bass and white perch) in the Lower
These measures of toxicological effects, called
There are two interim targets along the way that EPA expects to meet more quickly. address PCB-related risks at higher trophic levels. This was clearly articulated in the ROD. In summary, if EPA receives new information which, together with other relevant information (including previously collected data and analyses), leads EPA to conclude that the remedy is not protective of human health or the environment, and EPA also concludes that specified additional work would address or respond to EPA's determination that the remedy is not protective, EPA can direct GE to carry out such additional work. Spottail shiner (Notropis hudsonius)
This certification also does not affect EPA's authority to require performance of investigations and cleanup work in the Upper Hudson River floodplain and the Lower Hudson River (discussed in Sections E and F). But each site is different, so the SOWs must be carefully developed with site-specific considerations in mind. These risk assessments will be used to support the evaluation of cleanup approaches to address contamination in the floodplain. General Electric's best-known legacy of environmental contamination is the estimated 1.3 million pounds of PCBs the company discharged for decades into the Hudson River from its Fort . of exposure to PCBs in sediments, water, and/or prey. The study area includes both sides of a 43-mile stretch of the Upper Hudson between Hudson Falls and Troy, NY and includes over 3,000 separate properties. require GE, the company responsible for the contamination, to pay for the clean-up project. However, Total PCBs are also an important metric, and EPA continues to consider both. In April 2019, we achieved another partial victory when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it lacked the data to determine if the cleanup had achieved its goal of being protective of human health and the environment, reversing its long-standing, but unsubstantiated, claim it was a success. (1) This report uses current U.S. Environmental
However, current
Water and fish sampling in the Lower River have been conducted for many years and will continue as part of GE's Operation, Maintenance and Monitoring obligations under the 2006 Consent Decree. During their review process the EPA will choose one of several remediation alternatives, including "no-action". Trustees often have information and technical expertise about the biological effects of hazardous substances, as well as the location of sensitive species and habitats that can assist EPA in characterizing the nature and extent of site-related contamination and impacts. PCB contamination is believed to cause human cancer as well as liver dysfunction, digestive disorders, chloracne, headaches, nausea and fatigue. TQs, they would have to decrease by an order of magnitude or more to fall
dietary doses, and egg concentrations of PCBs were compared to appropriate
When EPA begins its study of the Lower Hudson, will it just look for PCBs? PCBs from toxic "hotspots" in this area constantly disperse downstream, causing continued contamination of the Hudson River Estuary. On average, since dredging was completed, Tri-Plus PCBs in river surface sediment have been reduced to 1-2 parts per million from their pre-dredging highs (see Question 54).
As fish in the Hudson are already contaminated, even shutting off the source of PCBs completely would not result in immediate recovery. We looked at the distance from both the Hudson River and other PCB sites for participants in the study group. Take extra precautions near any dams or large watercraft because they can create undertows and dangerous currents. Will EPA require excavation of PCB-contaminated soil as part of its floodplain work? (The Technical Memorandum (. Based on the RI/FS, EPA would decide whether remedial work is called for; such a decision would be made after an opportunity for public review and comment.