Senators Michelle Hinchey and Rob Rolison, along with 28 State Senate colleagues, have urged the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to undertake further clean-up of PCBs in the Hudson River. In a letter addressed to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and Regional Administrator Mike Martucci, the senators called for the declaration of a “not protective” status in the EPA’s upcoming five-year report. They also requested a timeline for a comprehensive Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study to determine the extent of PCB contamination in the lower Hudson’s sediments, water, and wildlife.
For over 30 years, General Electric (GE) discharged more than 1.3 million pounds of PCBs into the Hudson River, spanning 200 miles and making it one of the country’s largest Superfund sites. The mandated cleanup by GE ended in 2015, but ongoing data suggests the measures are insufficient for protecting human health and the environment.
Senator Michelle Hinchey stated, “General Electric dumped toxic chemicals into our Hudson River for decades, and it’s an injustice of epic proportions that this billion-dollar corporation is still to this day allowed to sidestep responsibility. Full remediation falls squarely on the polluter, not the Hudson Valley and not our Environmental Justice communities. The EPA must mandate General Electric to immediately resume clean-up and restore the health of our Hudson River.”
Senator Rob Rolison emphasized, “The Hudson River is the backbone of our region’s economy and environment, yet PCB contamination continues to jeopardize public health, waterfront development, and economic opportunities for our communities along the river.” He added, “The EPA must step up now to ensure a full cleanup, so the Hudson can be a thriving resource for all who depend on it.”
Tracy Brown, President of Riverkeeper, commented, “The scientific evidence is clear, the Hudson River PCB cleanup is failing to protect public health and the environment. Every day of inaction allows these toxic chemicals to continue harming our communities, our waters, our wildlife, and our economy.”
Scenic Hudson President Ned Sullivan also supported the call for action: “Scenic Hudson thanks Senators Hinchey and Rolison for their leadership in requesting that EPA take long overdue actions at the Hudson River Superfund Site. EPA has the data it needs to acknowledge that the cleanup has failed to meet the fundamental Superfund standard: ‘protective of human health and the environment.’”
