The Hudson River PCBs Site encompasses a nearly 200-mile stretch of the Hudson River in eastern New York State from Hudson Falls, New York to the Battery in New York City and includes communities in fourteen New York counties and two counties in New Jersey. The site is divided into the Upper Hudson River, which runs from Hudson Falls to the Federal Dam at Troy (a distance of approximately 40 miles), and the Lower Hudson River, which runs from the Federal Dam at Troy to the southern tip of Manhattan at the Battery in New York City. For purposes of this project, EPA further divided the Upper Hudson River area into three main sections known as River Section 1, River Section 2, and River Section 3.

From approximately 1947 to 1977, the General Electric Company (GE) discharged as much as 1.3 million pounds of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from its capacitor manufacturing plants at the Hudson Falls and Fort Edward facilities into the Hudson River.

The primary health risk associated with the site is the accumulation of PCBs in the human body through eating contaminated fish. Since 1976, high levels of PCBs in fish have led New York State to close various recreational and commercial fisheries and to issue advisories restricting the consumption of fish caught in the Hudson River. PCBs are considered probable human carcinogens and are linked to other adverse health effects such as low birth weight, thyroid disease, and learning, memory, and immune system disorders. PCBs in the river sediment also affect fish and wildlife.

EPA’s February 2002 Record of Decision (ROD) for the Hudson River PCBs Superfund Site addresses the risks to people and ecological receptors associated with PCBs in the in-place sediments of the Upper Hudson River.

EPA Begins Construction of Water Line for Upper Hudson Communities

October 8, 2008 - EPA announced today that a subcontract has been awarded to W.M. Schultz Construction, Inc, to build a four-and-a-half mile long water line from Troy, New York to the towns of Waterford and Halfmoon. The water line will be used, if needed, as an alternate water source during the Hudson River dredging project.

Press Release

EPA and GE Sign Agreement on Upper Hudson Floodplain Sampling

September 11, 2008 -- EPA and GE have reached agreement on carrying out the Upper Hudson floodplain sampling program. The agreement, effective today and embodied in an Administrative Order on Consent (AOC), provides for soil sampling at approximately 350 properties within the Upper Hudson floodplain. It is the first phase of a floodplains remedial investigation initially described in a letter to residents from EPA dated August 4, 2008. The agreement also requires GE to map human use and ecological use areas in those floodplain areas to identify areas where removal of contaminated soils may be needed. GE will pay for costs incurred by EPA in overseeing the work performed under this agreement.

Floodplain Agreement [PDF 1.5 MB, 30 pp] | Field Sampling Plan [PDF 194K, 50 pp] | Appendix A [PDF 9K, 1 pp] | Tables [PDF 21K, 5 pp]

Figures are Available Upon Request by Contacting Kris Skopeck at skopeck.kristen@epa.gov

Letter August 4, 2008 [PDF 167K,1 pp]

Final Floodplains Factsheet [PDF 36K, 3 pp]

EPA Orders Access To Construct Alternate Water Line for Hudson Dredging Project

September, 5 2008 - To ensure that contingencies are in place to protect drinking water supplies during Hudson River dredging, EPA today issued orders to the town of Halfmoon, New York and the Water Commissioners of the town of Waterford to gain access needed to construct a water line that will carry drinking water from Troy to Halfmoon and to the town of Waterford, New York. When constructed, the new water line will provide the towns with an alternate water source that would be available in the unlikely event that dredging causes violations of the health-based drinking water standard in the river.

Order Issued to The Town of Halfmoon [PDF 475K, 11 pp] | Order Issued to The Water Commissioners of the Town of Waterford [PDF 586K, 13 pp] | Press Release

GE Submits Intermediate Design for Second Phase of Hudson River Dredging (May 2008)

EPA has reached another milestone in the cleanup of the Hudson River PCBs site with the receipt of the Intermediate Design Report from the General Electric Company (GE) for Phase 2 of the cleanup. EPA has initiated a thorough review of the document. Following the completion of Phase 1 and a subsequent peer review, EPA will notify GE of its decision regarding changes to the performance standards or scope of Phase 2. GE will then notify EPA as to whether GE will implement Phase 2 pursuant to the Consent Decree. At this point, the Phase 2 Design plans may be modified, particularly if there are changes to the performance standards or the scope of Phase 2. Due to the size of the document, the link below will provide access to the document's text. Hard copies of the Intermediate Design Report, which include the tables and appendices, are available at information repositories in Glens Falls, Fort Edward (EPA Hudson River Field Office), Ballston Spa, Albany, Poughkeepsie, New York City (EPA Region 2 offices), and Edgewater, New Jersey.

Design Report [PDF 977K, 171 pp] | Tables, Figures, Attachments and Appendices Available Upon Request by Contacting Kris Skopeck at skopeck.kristen@epa.gov

EPA Approves Phase 1 Design for Hudson River PCBs Site (February 2008)

On January 25, 2008 EPA completed the final step in the approval process for the design of Phase 1 of the Hudson River PCBs Site dredging program. Phase 1 encompasses the construction of facilities necessary to process and transport sediments to be dredged from the river, as well as the first year of the dredging program and the habitat replacement and reconstruction program for those areas dredged during Phase 1. The Phase 1 Adaptive Management Plan (AMP) was the last component of the design requiring approval. The AMP will guide and help to achieve habitat reconstruction goals in the Upper Hudson. This approval of the entire Phase 1 design triggers a schedule for General Electric Company to complete procurement of dredging and habitat reconstruction contracts. These contracts are expected to be awarded by summer 2008.

Phase 2 Dredge Areas Identified (January 2008)

The design of the cleanup of the Hudson River PCBs Superfund Site has reached a key milestone. EPA has approved the Phase 2 Dredge Area Delineation Report (DAD Report), prepared by General Electric Company (GE), which identifies the areas that will be dredged during the second phase of dredging. The DAD Report will be used by GE to prepare a Phase 2 Intermediate Design Report. The dredge areas may be adjusted during design. Any such changes will be included in the intermediate and final design reports. Download the Report [PDF 1.6 MB, 124 pp] | Fact Sheet (January 2008) [PDF 3.4 MB, 20 pp]

United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit Issues Ruling on Town of Fort Edward Motion to Intervene (January 2008)

Ruling Affirms the District Court's Decision to Enter EPA's Consent Decree with GE

Summary Order

EPA Reaches Agreement with GE to Reduce Exposure to PCBs in
Upper Hudson Floodplain (July 2007)

EPA has reached an agreement with General Electric Company (GE) requiring them to reduce exposure to PCBs in four general areas along the Upper Hudson River where elevated levels of PCBs in floodplain soils could potentially present an unacceptable risk to public health and the environment.  The work, expected to begin next month, will be performed by GE on about a dozen public and private properties in the towns of Fort Edward, Northumberland and Greenwich and in the village of Schuylerville.  EPA will oversee GE’s work.  The agreement requires GE to reimburse EPA for the cost of overseeing the work. 

Water Supply Options Analysis Undergoing Review (April 2007)

General Electric Company (GE) developed the Water Supply Options Analysis report at the direction of EPA to evaluate potential contingency measures that the Town of Halfmoon and Town of Waterford could implement to ensure the protection of drinking water during dredging. The Options Analysis evaluates measures that could be undertaken at the Halfmoon and Waterford public water supplies -- including additional PCB treatment capabilities at the municipalities' existing water treatment plants and/or alternative water sources -- should dredging during the first phase of the PCB cleanup cause PCB levels in water to exceed criteria established by EPA. This report addresses potential contingency measures that could be implemented during the first phase of dredging. Contingency measures that could be implemented during Phase 2 dredging may be different.

Water Supply Options Analysis [PDF 2.1 MB, 96 pp]

EPA Issues Property Access Order On Hudson Dredging Project

Order to New York State Necessary for Maintaining Construction Schedule

March 29, 2007 - EPA issued an order to the New York State Canal Corporation requiring it to grant EPA and General Electric (GE) access to three parcels of land where construction needs to take place for the Hudson River cleanup to begin.

Press Release | Access Order Letter [PDF 20 KB, 2 pp] | Access Order [PDF 60 KB, 17 pp]
Exhibit 1 [PDF 125 KB, 1 pp] | Exhibit 2 [PDF 1.3 MB, 1 pp]

REMEDIAL ACTION WORK PLAN #2 (March 2007)

Phase 1 Processing Equipment Installation and Remaining Site Work

Remedial Action Work Plan #2 for Phase 1 processing equipment installation and remaining site work addresses:
• Procurement, installation and interconnection of the sediment processing and water treatment equipment
• Any site work (remaining after Contract 1) needed to complete construction of the processing facility.

Processing Equipment Installation | APPENDICES | Health

Ground-Breaking for Construction of Hudson River Cleanup Facility Set for the Spring

February 8, 2007 - Statement by Alan J. Steinberg, U.S. EPA Regional Administrator - EPA has made tremendous progress moving the vast and complex cleanup of the Hudson River forward as fast as possible. The project is now proceeding in earnest. Due to several obstacles beyond our control, including legal actions and the seasonal nature of dredging, it has become necessary to extend the start date for dredging until the spring of 2009. The adjustment to the schedule is, at least in large part, the result of the delay caused by the legal challenge to the agreement with GE to conduct the cleanup. EPA remains firmly committed to the cleanup of the Hudson River and is confident we will continue our progress toward a cleaner Hudson for local communities and everyone who depends upon and values the river.

Press Release [PDF 36 KB, 2 pp]

REMEDIAL ACTION WORK PLAN (January 2007)
Facility Site Work Construction & Rail Yard Construction

The Remedial Action Work Plan for Facility Site Work Construction and Rail Yard Construction includes the following:

• Contract 1 – Facility Site Work Construction: general civil work, such as grading, placement and compaction of fill, and paving. Other work activities include wharf area construction, access road construction, river mooring installation, and construction of a support marina.

• Contract 2 – Rail Yard Construction: rail construction on the processing facility site property and within the right-of-way of the commercial rail carrier and rail yard facilities work.

RA Work Plan [PDF 3 MB, 50 pp] | Appendices A-C-E-H [PDF 4 MB, 148 pp] |
Appendix_D [PDF 17 MB, 136 pp] | Remedial Action HASP [PDF 2 MB, 383 pp]
Construction QC/QA Plan [PDF 607 KB, 103 pp]

Future Work Plans:
The remaining site work (under Contract 3A), such as processing facility buildings, and the installation of process equipment, piping, electrical, instrumentation, communications, and the commissioning of the systems, will be described in the Remedial Action Work Plan for Phase 1 Processing Equipment Installation and Remaining Site Work.

Work performed under Contract 3B, Contract 4, Contract 5, and Contract 6 will be described in Remedial Action Work Plan #3 – Phase 1 Dredging and Processing Facility Operations, which will cover the following:

• Contract 3B – Processing Facility Operations, including barge offloading, coarse material separation, sediment dewatering, water treatment (process and stormwater), stormwater management, and staging area management and maintenance.

• Contract 4 – Dredging Operations, including resuspension containment system installation, debris removal, the performance of inventory and residual dredging operations and the transport of loaded sediment barges to the off-loading wharf at the processing facility.

• Contract 5 – Habitat Construction, including the supply and planting of sub aquatic vegetation in certain dredged areas pursuant to habitat reconstruction plans.

• Contract 6 – Rail Yard Operations, including all activities required to operate and maintain the rail yard.

EPA Issues Decision on General Electric’s Dispute over Hudson River Final Design Report

On November 9, 2006, EPA Regional Superfund Director George Pavlou issued a final decision on technical matters that were disputed by General Electric Company (GE) in its July 12 and August 4, 2006 letters to EPA. GE raised issues related to EPA’s comments on the dredging operations and the Remedial Action Community Health & Safety Plan in its Phase 1 Final Design Report.

In its final decision, EPA reaffirms its original position that GE must incorporate into the Remedial Action Community Health & Safety Plan, contingencies for protecting public water supplies. The final decision also reaffirms EPA’s requirement for GE to place backfill or backfill/cap in a manner that maintains the configuration of the pre-existing shoreline and river bottom in the backfilled or backfilled/capped areas. EPA’s final decision also defines those near-shore areas in which GE is required, after dredging, to restore the pre-dredging river bottom.

On August 18, 2006, GE invoked dispute resolution with respect to several other issues that are not addressed in EPA's November 9 final decision. Those additional issues, also related to the Phase 1 Final Design Report, are currently under discussion between EPA and GE. If they are not resolved through those discussions, GE has the option of requesting a determination from EPA on the issues.

Dispute Nov 2006 Final Decision Letter | Dispute Nov 2006 Final decision | Dispute Nov 2006 Final Decision Attach 1 and 2 | Dispute Nov 2006 Attachment 3 Malcolm Pirnie Shoreline Reconstruction Memo

Court Approves Hudson River Settlement
November 2, 2006 - Statement by Alan J. Steinberg, U.S. EPA Regional Administrator "The United States is pleased to announce that today, the landmark settlement between the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the General Electric Company (GE) for the Hudson River PCBs site was approved by Federal District Court Judge David N. Hurd. This allows the cleanup of the Hudson River to proceed. Under the approved Consent Decree, GE will construct a sediment transfer/processing facility in Fort Edward, NY and perform the first phase of the dredging of the PCB-contaminated river sediments, and may perform the second phase of the dredging as well. Now that the court has approved the Consent Decree, we can all look forward to seeing the benefits of cleaning up the Hudson River. EPA will continue to work with the affected communities and other stakeholders as the implementation of the remedy proceeds."

Schedule Change

Hudson Cleanup Plans Near Completion; EPA Releases Community Health & Safety Plan

Reaching another important milestone in the cleanup of the Hudson River PCBs site, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has received a draft of the final design plan for the first phase of the cleanup project from the General Electric Company (GE). The document, which will be thoroughly reviewed by the Agency, contains key information about the dredging operations to be performed in the Upper Hudson and a detailed layout of the sediment dewatering and transfer facility that will be built in Fort Edward, New York. It builds upon the Preliminary Design Report and Phase 1 Intermediate Design Report. A community health and safety plan is also included as an appendix to the draft Phase 1 Final Design Report.

News Release | Final Design Report | Final Design Report Fact Sheet [PDF 1.5 MB, 4 pp]