The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has amended its administrative cleanup order for the Gowanus Canal Superfund site in Brooklyn, New York, to address the middle segment of the canal, known as Remediation Target Area (RTA) 2. The announcement was made on June 27, 2024.

“Dredging and capping of the upper segment of the Gowanus Canal started in late 2020 and will be completed in July. This is a major milestone in cleaning up the canal and improving water quality,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “Together with the extensive dredging, capping, and bulkhead repair work that has already been completed, this order will ensure the cleanup of the next portion of the heavily contaminated Gowanus Canal, which will be a huge benefit to the Gowanus and Red Hook communities.”

Initial work on RTA 2 began in late June and includes access dredging to facilitate equipment mobilization, followed by debris removal and bulkhead construction. Full-scale dredging and capping required by the newly amended order will follow. This phase is estimated to cost $369 million and will take several years to complete. Detailed engineering and design work for RTA 2 was performed in parallel with RTA 1 to accelerate progress. Implementation of RTA 3, the lower segment of the canal, is expected after completing RTA 2.

The EPA is coordinating closely with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) on this project. Both agencies, along with the New York State Department of Health, are overseeing community health and safety monitoring during the cleanup process.

The order amendment has been issued to six parties deemed most responsible for contamination at the site: Brooklyn Union Gas Co., doing business as National Grid New York; the City of New York; Consolidated Edison Co. of New York Inc.; Hess Corp.; Honeywell International Inc.; and The Brooklyn Improvement Co.

More than a dozen contaminants are present at high levels in Gowanus Canal sediments, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), mercury, lead, and copper. The 2013 cleanup plan involves dredging contaminated sediment from industrial discharges and combined sewer overflow (CSO). Following dredging, a multilayer cap will isolate remaining chemicals in deep native sediment. Areas containing mobile liquid tar too deep for excavation will be mixed with cement to prevent tar spread into canal waters.

Two CSO retention tanks are being constructed by New York City to prevent hazardous substances from re-contaminating the canal. The overall cleanup plan's current cost is estimated at over $2 billion.

Further information can be found on EPA Region 2’s website.