EPA Extends Public Comment Period on Review of Upper Hudson River Cleanup
Albany, N.Y. - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has extended by 30 days the public comment period for its third review of the cleanup of PCB-contaminated sediment from the Upper Hudson River. Originally set to end on October 8, 2024, the new deadline is now November 7, 2024.
The EPA held virtual public information meetings on August 21, 2024, and August 28, 2024, to discuss the five-year review process and findings. The August 28 meeting can be viewed here.
The EPA reviews Superfund cleanups every five years to ensure that they are working as intended and protect people’s health and the environment. These regular reviews are required by federal law when contaminants remain at a site and are documented in five-year review reports.
The EPA’s latest review concludes that PCB levels in water and fish are going down overall, but the EPA needs more years of fish data to determine if the cleanup is meeting the expectations of the original cleanup plan. The EPA will issue an addendum to the current five-year review report as soon as sufficient fish data is available, as early as next year, and no later than the end of 2027. The report also contains the EPA’s proposal for expanded monitoring and special studies to bolster the data on which to base its conclusions.
The EPA will thoroughly review the public comments received on the draft report before issuing the Five-Year Review.
How to Submit Comments:
Written comments should be submitted by November 7, 2024. You can send your comments by mail or email to:
Gary Klawinski, Director
EPA Region 2, Hudson River Office
187 Wolf Road, Suite 303
Albany, NY 12205
Email: epahrfo@outlook.com
The third Five-Year Review report is available on the EPA Hudson River PCBs site webpage.
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