The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized a plan to address contamination in the East Branch of Newtown Creek, part of the Newtown Creek Superfund Site located in Brooklyn and Queens, New York City. This initiative involves dredging and stabilizing contaminated sediment at the bottom of the creek.

"This plan will help reduce risks in the East Branch Portion of Newtown Creek and is good news for the communities around Newtown Creek," stated EPA Regional Administrator Lisa Garcia. "The first phase of this plan requires contamination to be removed which will facilitate the broader cleanup work on the Newtown Creek site."

The decision follows an extended public comment period and a public meeting where community feedback was gathered. The estimated cost for this cleanup effort is nearly $250 million.

Key components of the plan include removing contaminated sediment to allow protective caps without reducing water depths, conducting deeper dredging based on specific considerations, stabilizing sediment with materials like cement, installing sealed bulkheads as barriers, transporting dredged materials to licensed facilities, and implementing a monitoring program to ensure long-term effectiveness.

Before finalizing design details, EPA will conduct a comprehensive investigation to refine aspects such as deeper dredging locations and cap specifics. This early action is part of a larger strategy aimed at addressing widespread contamination at Newtown Creek, designated as a Superfund site in 2010.

While this cleanup represents an interim action, it aligns with EPA's expectations for consistency with any future remedies for the entire site. Spanning 3.8 miles and containing various contaminants including PAHs, PCBs, dioxins, and heavy metals, the full remediation process is anticipated to take several more years.

Further information about this initiative can be found on the Newtown Creek Superfund site profile page.