Attend a virtual information session on new study of Hudson River PCBs

When:

May 24, 2023: 6:00PM to 8:00PM

Where:

Online

To Attend:

Registration required

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will host a virtual public meeting at 6 p.m. May 24, 2023, to discuss a new study of PCB contamination in the 160-mile stretch of the Hudson River from the Federal Dam at Troy south all the way to New York Harbor, referred to as the “Lower Hudson.”  

This is a great opportunity for the public to learn more about the additional sampling and investigation of water, fish and sediment that is getting under way to evaluate contamination from PCBs and other toxic pollutants in the Lower Hudson. Participants can also ask the EPA questions about the entire Hudson River PCBs Superfund site.

Register now to attend >

The Hudson River remains the largest Superfund site in the country due to the toxic PCBs dumped by General Electric from manufacturing plants in Fort Edward and Hudson Falls, about 50 miles north of Albany, between 1947 and 1977. Those chemicals are still found in sediment throughout the length of the Hudson, all the way to New York Harbor.

From 2009 to 2015, GE dredged portions of the Upper Hudson River to remove PCBs. GE removed PCBs from “hotspots” in a 40-mile stretch of the Upper Hudson River above Troy.  In total, GE reported that 2.75 million cubic yards of sediment were dredged from the river. Following the completion of dredging in the Upper Hudson, data from limited sampling of fish collected in the Lower Hudson indicated slower rates of recovery compared with fish collected in the Upper Hudson with respect to PCB concentrations in tissue. Additional investigation is necessary to evaluate PCBs in the Lower Hudson and develop an appropriate remediation plan.

Pursuant to an administrative settlement agreement between the EPA and General Electric, signed on September 12, 2022, GE is required to investigate the Lower Hudson portion of the Hudson River PCBs Superfund site to determine next steps for addressing contamination. In the meantime, fish throughout the entire Superfund site remain hazardous to eat.

Stay informed. GE’s PCBs are still found at dangerous levels in sediment, water and wildlife throughout the Hudson River ecosystem as far south as New York Harbor. These PCBs are also found in people. For more information, visit Riverkeeper.org/pcbs and check back for updates.

Further information is available on the EPA web page for the Hudson River PCBs Superfund Site.