The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released its third review of the cleanup of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the Upper Hudson River. The review concludes that PCB levels in water and fish are decreasing overall, but more years of fish data are needed to determine if the cleanup is meeting expectations.
The EPA will issue an addendum to the current five-year review report once sufficient fish data is available, potentially as early as next year, but no later than 2027. The report also includes a proposal for expanded monitoring and special studies to strengthen the data on which conclusions are based. Public comments on the draft report will be accepted until October 8.
“The EPA continues to work on multiple fronts to address the contamination throughout the Upper and Lower Hudson River and will ensure General Electric Company (GE) remains accountable for the PCBs that came from their manufacturing plants in Hudson Falls and Fort Edward, New York,” said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “Today we are announcing a 90-day public comment period on the latest five-year review and appreciate the intense public interest and continued input as we work to clean up the Hudson River.”
The draft Five-Year Review is based on scientific analysis and extensive evaluation of data collected between 2016-2021, along with preliminary fish data from 2022. Consistent with previous conclusions, a minimum of eight years of fish data after dredging is required to draw science-based conclusions about recovery rates in fish. This eighth year of sampling will be completed this fall, with results expected in 2025.
More years of data are also needed to fully evaluate PCB levels in river bottom sediment, with the next sediment sampling scheduled for 2026. A protectiveness determination could be made sooner based on fish data.
“The extensive dredging project set the course, but the road to recovery for the Hudson River is long,” said Garcia. “Over the next few years, we expect to have the data we need to identify reliable trends. If the fish data shows that recovery isn’t happening as quickly as we expected, we will take necessary actions to improve it.”
Annual monitoring evaluates how well the river is recovering since dredging ended in 2015. Due to uneven patterns of recovery identified in fish, closer examination of water, fish, and sediment in specific areas is ongoing. The five-year review includes special studies already underway to help understand river recovery and guide future steps.
The EPA's two-part cleanup plan for the Upper Hudson River was selected in 2002, involving dredging approximately 2.7 million cubic yards of PCB-contaminated sediment followed by natural recovery over more than 50 years. The primary goal is reducing PCB levels in fish to protect people and wildlife that consume them while reconstructing habitats impacted by dredging.
Fish consumption restrictions remain part of this plan until PCB levels decrease sufficiently for New York State to adjust advisories. The EPA collaborates with New York State Department of Health on education programs informing area residents about these risks.
Active efforts continue across all parts of the river including an extensive floodplain study along a 43-mile stretch between Hudson Falls and Troy, NY; overseeing deconstruction projects at former GE sites; and new investigations under an agreement with GE covering areas from Troy to New York City’s Battery Park.
The third Five-Year Review report can be accessed on EPA's Hudson River PCBs site webpage. Comments during this period can be sent by mail or email:
Gary Klawinski, Director
EPA Region 2, Hudson River Office
187 Wolf Road, Suite 303
Albany, NY 12205
Email: epahrfo@outlook.com
A virtual public information meeting will be held on August 21 at 6 p.m. EST discussing findings and determinations related to this review.
