New Yorkers tell EPA to finish the PCB cleanup
October 6, 2017
Riverkeeper Team
Over the summer the EPA released its second Five Year Review of the Hudson River PCBs cleanup project for review by the public (learn more here). Within a period of three months, over 1,500 advocates like you took action by writing comments and showing up to two rallies, three EPA public meetings and five comment writing events from New York City to the Adirondacks. You made this happen!
To put this tremendous community effort into context, consider that the first ve Year Review in 2012 received fewer than 10 comments!
EPA Must Revise Their Finding in the Final Five-Year Review
Now, the campaign to hold General Electric accountable for millions of pounds of toxic PCB pollution continues. Next, we await the release of the final second Five Year Review within the next few months. Given the immense public response at EPA meetings and during the public comment period, we expect EPA will revise its draft finding to incorporate public and expert comments.
We believe EPA must revise its findings to determine that the upper Hudson is “not protective of human health and the environment” and must order a full remedial study of the lower Hudson. The stakes for the Hudson River could not be higher. This decision could determine whether the Hudson River has a chance to recover within the next few decades or towards the end of the century.
Take Action
Thank DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos and his team for standing with Hudson River advocates in calling for additional cleanup and study of the Hudson.
Related campaigns
Hudson River PCBs
Without effective action, the health risks and impacts to those living, working, and playing within the 200-mile stretch of the Hudson River PCBs Superfund Site will persist for generations to come
Remediating and preventing contamination
Cleaning up decades of pollution and preventing more requires scientific understanding, targeted legal action, and sustained advocacy
Saving Hudson River fish
Protecting iconic species vital to our local ecosystems