The Exposure Assessment describes complete exposure pathways and exposure In summary, if EPA receives new information which, together with other relevant information, (including previously collected data and analyses), leads EPA to conclude that the remedy is not protective of human health or the environment, and EPA also concludes that additional work would address or respond to EPA's determination that the remedy is not protective, EPA can direct GE to carry out such additional work. These construction-related activities are defined in the CD by the term "Remedial Action." (There are eight reaches or "pools" in the Upper Hudson, separated by dams. For the Hudson River PCBs Superfund site, EPA has issued two RODs to date. Public water systems are required to monitor PCB levels in treated water for compliance with appropriate standards, including the federal drinking water standard for PCBs. of magnitude or more to fall below 1 in the Upper Hudson River. Sampling and evaluation of sediment data by river reach and river section are both important. are not expected to be of a sufficient magnitude to prevent reproduction level fish in the Lower Hudson River. When the RI/FS is completed, EPA will issue a proposed cleanup plan for public review and comment. At the request of NYSDEC these analyses were also conducted by "River Reach" (or "pools"), to look at sediment and fish samples in the Upper Hudson River that are effectively separated by dams. Even where extensive dredging and/or capping of contaminated sediment is selected and carried out, full recovery of the ecosystem - and, specifically, recovery of the fish - is typically predicted to take decades after the dredging and/or capping is completed. In three separate reviews both DEC and EPA have indicated that dredging would provide substantial environmental benefits with either few or relatively minor adverse impacts. Risks to piscivorous birds were evaluated using six lines of evidence. they are probably insignificant at the population level. (The 2002 ROD analyzed the Upper Hudson River in three "River Sections.". The federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently reconsidering a Superfund clean-up of Hudson River PCB contamination. Under GE's proposal, steel sediment containment cells with potential for temperature control, addition of nutrients and microbes and cell content mixing, will be placed in the river (letter from Proskauer Rose Goetz and Mendelsohn to Hon. PCB concentrations in water also are expected to continue to decline and are currently well below the federal drinking water standard for PCBs. Hudson River Toxic PCB Cleanup - Scenic Hudson Upper Hudson River is non-tidal, consists of a series of pools separated of the Interior) will move forward with a Natural Resource Damages Assessment (NRDA). Biomagnification is the process by which tissue concentrations of bioaccumulated chemicals increase as the chemical passes up through two or more feeding levels. When picking among protective remedial alternatives, EPA must select a remedy that is cost-effective. PCBs are not of a sufficient magnitude to prevent reproduction of omnivorous In summary, while EPA has not established a specific target level of PCBs in sediment for the Upper Hudson River, EPA has established interim and long-term target concentrations for PCB concentrations in fish. PCBs may adversely affect the survival, growth, In summary, portions of the Champlain Canal navigation channel throughout the 40-mile stretch of the Upper Hudson River were dredged by GE as part of the EPA project, and other portions were not. the tree swallow TRVs, which were derived from field studies of Hudson Reproductive effects (e.g., egg maturation, The first of these (0.4 mg/kg in fish) would allow people to consume one fish meal every two months. to one or more chemical or physical stressors. These measures of toxicological effects, called that have been shown to cause adverse ecological effects, and that those GE is required to collect sediment, water, and fish samples on a regular basis. PCBs and Health: The Hudson River Communities Project This third certification is not expected to be available to GE, at the earliest, for five decades. EPA, therefore, did not select the more aggressive remedy. Risks to omnivorous mammals were evaluated using four lines of evidence. GE claimed that, not only was the dredging unnecessary, but that any disturbance of the riverbottom sediments would disrupt the natural breakdown process. (State of New York Industrial Hazardous Waste Facility Siting Board, TRANSCRIPT OF PROCEEDINGS, 1987). The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) has for decades issued fish advisories, warning against eating fish from the Upper Hudson River, and recommending strict limits on eating fish from the Mid and Lower Hudson River. However, for those sediment sites where contamination is by persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic contaminants like PCBs, remediation often relies partially on natural recovery to reduce contaminant levels and achieve environmental goals. Separately, GE, with EPA oversight, is conducting an investigation of PCB contamination in the Upper Hudson River floodplains. GE's findings on partial decay of PCBs in the lab are promising in themselves, but their implications for the river are still speculative. This does not mean that GE is relieved of all further responsibilities in the Upper Hudson River, or elsewhere in the Hudson, under the Superfund law or the Consent Decree. EPA and NYSDEC will undertake to jointly define "areas of interest.". The Hudson River remains contaminated with levels of PCBs that don't meet state and federal regulations and the river cleanup remains incomplete, according to an updated report issued by The. PCB Contamination Of The Hudson: A Health Hazard? - Hudson River Sloop These studies will supplement information collected during EPA's investigation of the Lower Hudson River in the 1990s, the periodic monitoring of Lower Hudson River fish and water by GE under EPA oversight since 2004, and the periodic monitoring of Lower Hudson River fish by New York State. Tri-Plus molecules have three or more chlorine atoms; they present a greater risk than the molecules with one or two chlorine atoms. to evaluate the future risks to the environment in the Lower Hudson River. GE has completed the dredging, backfilling and capping, habitat reconstruction, and treatment plant decontamination and decommissioning it was required to perform under the Consent Decree. Such a determination would be subject to the reopeners. All EPA GE's obligations, and the obligations of any other parties, with respect to the Lower Hudson will be defined as that process proceeds. August 1998 Database for the Hudson River PCBs Reassessment RI/FS [Release However, for those sediment sites where contamination is by persistent, bio-accumulative and toxic contaminants like PCBs, remediation often relies partially on natural recovery to reduce contaminant levels and achieve environmental goals. remediation. USEPA previously released In addition, this certification does not affect EPA's authority to invoke a "reopener" provision in the Consent Decree if appropriate, requiring additional work in the Upper Hudson River. TRVs, and on field observations. The purpose of the RI is to identify the nature and extent of contamination - what hazardous substances, pollutants or contamination are present, where they are coming from, where they are now and where they might go in the future; and what risks those substances pose to people and the ecosystem. As part of the floodplain studies, soil samples have been collected on agricultural land. conditions in the Upper Hudson River. GE remains responsible for significant further work under the Consent Decree. PCBs are concentrated in the sediments of the river. PCB pollution will be tested on NJ section of Hudson River - Bergen Record Report: Hudson River PCBs caused $11.4B in damages - NEWS10 ABC a site. As EPA is not a Natural Resource Trustee agency, EPA cannot address the question of when GE's responsibility for natural resource damages regarding the Hudson will end. The collection is done using several methods including electroshocking and angling. What happens if the fish don't recover as predicted? Exposure parameters were obtained from USEPA references, the scientific Hudson River water exceed criteria developed for the protection of wildlife Those PCB compounds with three or more chlorine atoms in each molecule are known as Tri-Plus (or Tri+) and are generally considered more dangerous to humans and other animals than those with only one or two chlorine atoms in each molecule, given that this group of PCBs are more prone to bioaccumulate in fish and other animals. mammals, laboratory toxicity studies, and field observations. GE's actual work achieved a substantially better outcome than the maximum permissible capping limit set by EPA. (in particular the Thompson Island Pool) and decrease in relation to PCB A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. What are the "reopener" provisions in the Consent Decree? Fish Species, Pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus) The extensive monitoring of sediments, water quality and fish tissue that are required under the Operation, Maintenance and Monitoring program that GE must carry out under the Consent Decree will provide data to assess how natural attenuation is proceeding. But each site is different, so the SOWs must be carefully developed with site-specific considerations in mind. Was It Enough? Protection and maintenance (survival, growth, and reproduction) of local EPA's evaluation determined that this option - which was even more aggressive than some commenters have recently called for - would only have accelerated fish recovery by a few years. (See the answer to Question 13. Some stretches of the OCC have been completely filled in with soil from construction as areas were developed. Benthic community structure as a food source for local fish populations The purpose of the recent EPA and state sampling efforts was to better understand current surface sediment concentrations and continue to monitor long-term recovery of river bottom sediment. The ROD focused on three river "sections," two of which include multiple pools or reaches.). That risk and science-based determination was made in consultation with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) and was based on extensive toxicological research. Official websites use .gov (Dredging ended in late 2015.). Some have asserted that there are "hotspots" in the Upper Hudson River that were not addressed by the dredging. Collectively, they indicate that current and future concentrations of Local Fish (Forage, Omnivorous, Piscivorous and Semi-piscivorous). Figure 1: Map of the contaminated part PCBs in the Hudson of the Hudson River. A "covenant not to sue" is a promise by one party to the settlement of a lawsuit that it will not sue the other party for certain specified claims, provided the other party fulfills its end of the agreement. EPA and NYSDEC will continue to review fish tissue data from semi-annual sampling, and fish will in the future be collected from additional sampling locations beyond those that have been used for many years. Measures were taken in the ERA to address and characterize the uncertainty. data and analyses to follow up USEPA's 1991 risk assessment. with the Hudson River are at an increased ecological risk as a result During 2018, EPA, in collaboration with New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), conducted an intensive analysis of post-dredging sediment data collected in 2016 and 2017. However, EPA is aware that some anglers may decide to ignore these advisories and regulations and eat the fish they catch from the river. are protective of fish and wildlife; 6) exceedence of guidelines for concentrations of PCBs in sediments that exposure pathways. The Consent Decree provided for the review of the first year of dredging by a panel of independent scientists, which recommended refinements to the dredging operations for the remainder of the project. The New York State Canal Corporation is responsible for managing and maintaining the Champlain Canal system including the navigation channel. Fact Sheet 6. In New Bedford Harbor, another site of PCB contamination, federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) studies evaluating biodegradation found that although natural processes of biodegradation seem to be occurring at this Massachusetts site, these processes are so slow and uncertain that they cannot be considered a reasonable solution to the problem. Nearly two-thirds (about 200 miles) of the Hudson River has been contaminated by PCBs, from Hudson Falls to the Battery in New York City and beyond. The outcry against the project led to its abandonment, halting potential environmental, public health and safety threats. In general, no option was predicted to show full recovery of the entire Upper Hudson within the timeframe of the computer models used, which extended about 55 years after the end of dredging (although the models did project that the selected remedy would meet the human health remediation goal of 0.05 parts per million PCBs in fish in River Section 3, the 29 mile stretch of the Upper Hudson from Schuylerville to Troy, in about 43 years). EPA is aware of some other sources of PCBs in the Lower River. EPA did identify three relatively small areas where PCB levels were elevated to a statistically significant degree compared with other areas. PCBs are However, the original PCB mixtures were subject to extensive chemical and physical processes in the factories, in sewage treatment facilities and in transport before they ever reached the riverbed. Particularly near New York City, there are a number of other contaminants of concern, including dioxin, mercury, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, from a wide variety of sources. and reproduction of these species. Is this the case with most sites involving rivers or waterbodies? or impaired reproduction or recruitment of new individuals. However, as explained in the report, these findings are based on only two years of post-dredging data, and EPA believes that up to eight or more years of post-dredging data are needed to draw a scientifically reliable conclusion. Hudson River PCBs - Riverkeeper Also, it would have extended the duration of disruption to riverside communities. The deletion of a site from the NPL is a regulatory process that requires public notice and comment, whereas the issuance of the "Certification of Completion of the Remedial Action" or of the "Certification of Completion of the Work" is an action taken by EPA under the Consent Decree. The remedy selection process for NPL sites requires that EPA follow certain steps before issuing a final decision. As PCB levels in fish populations continue to diminish, the risks to ecological receptors will be reduced. Consequently, the amount of Tri+ PCBs may be somewhat reduced, as higher-chlorinated molecules lose chlorine atoms. trophic level fish (such as largemouth bass and white perch) in the Lower dietary doses. No dredging occurred during 2010 while this review was underway. The first five-year review (FYR) for the Hudson River PCBs Superfund site was completed in 2012. The properties on which the GE facility was built are being returned to their respective owners. The model showed that doing nothing would not achieve the human health remediation goal of 0.05 parts per million PCBs in fish for River Section 1, River Section 2, or for the Upper Hudson River as a whole, within the modeling time frame, but predicted that it would be achieved in about 50 years in River Section 3. Nevertheless, EPA assumed in the ROD that the modeling results would approximate the results in nature when viewed over a longer time frame. EPA shared the 2016 sediment data with New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and NYSDEC shared its 2017 sediment data with EPA. concentrations down river. This will help remove soil that adheres to the vegetables. Through the NRDA process, the funds obtained from GE will be used to restore wildlife habitats and riverfront communities. Risks to waterfowl were evaluated using six lines of evidence. Under EPA supervision, GE is taking thousands of samples of soil in the Upper Hudson River floodplain (the stretch from Hudson Falls to Troy) as part of the Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study (RI/FS). Ft. GE's responsibilities for continued maintenance and monitoring will continue even beyond the completion of any active cleanup work, indefinitely into the future. Omnivorous animals, such as the raccoon, that derive some of their food For sites such as the Hudson River PCBs site, which are on the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) and for which EPA is the lead agency, EPA has the responsibility of selecting the cleanup remedy, and either carrying out the cleanup work using government funding, or supervising cleanup work carried out by potentially responsible parties (PRPs). that effects are not expected to occur for the average individual, then One way in which these compounds vary is the number of chlorine atoms in each molecule. This monitoring is expected to continue for the foreseeable future, and the results will be considered as part of the comprehensive investigation of the floodplain. If a storm temporarily increased river flow, the process would be stopped temporarily. a moderate degree of uncertainty in the modeled fish body burdens and PDF Recomendations to EPA for the Five Year Review Report for Hudson River 2023 Scenic Hudson, Inc. All rights reserved. Hudson River Cleanup | Hudson River PCBs Superfund Site | US EPA Mink (Mustela vison) This will help remove soil that adheres to the vegetables. That work will continue for many years. endpoints for animals exposed to PCBs. As PCB levels in fish populations continue to diminish, the risks to ecological receptors (other animals) will also continue to decline. New information would include any fish tissue data collected in the future. Measured and modeled concentrations of PCBs in Upper Hudson River water What is EPA doing to address the Champlain Canal navigation channel and other canal sections? reports on the nature and extent of contamination in the Hudson River 2005, Securing public riverfront access and preserved downtown Palisades views resulted from a settlement we brokered to stop construction of a wall of 38-story towers along the citys waterfront. The 1984 No-Action decision for the Upper Hudson River sediments was reexamined during the 1990s. PCBs will be the main focus of the data collection in the Lower Hudson River, but EPA will look for other contaminants as well. In addition, Superfund expects the governor of each state to designate state natural resource trustees. However, current and future exposures to the PCBs may reduce After the completion of the RI/FS, EPA publishes a proposed cleanup plan, which is then open for public comment and is discussed at one or more public meetings. However, Total PCBs are also an important metric, and EPA continues to consider both. Actions that have or will be taken to address PCB contamination in the Hudson River are being performed under the federal Superfund law, which is more formally known as the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, or "CERCLA." This first phase of the project was followed by an evaluation by an independent group of scientific experts of data collected during the first phase. The purpose of the FS is to thoroughly evaluate available cleanup options for addressing unacceptable risks identified in the RI. There is a moderate degree of uncertainty in the calculated Based on these recommendations, EPA identified engineering and other modifications that were incorporated into the remaining five years of the dredging operations. Under a 1990 Consent Decree with EPA, GE is also required to monitor and maintain the caps placed on the remnant deposits - which are areas of contaminated sediment along the banks of the Hudson River between Fort Edward and Hudson Falls - for the foreseeable future. A consent decree between the federal government and GE stipulating a remediation project was signed in 2006 to be implemented in two phases separated by a year of study. And GE is also responsible for additional work in the Upper Hudson River if EPA concludes that the conditions for the reopener are met. Hudson River PCBs | Region 2 | US EPA To support their claims, GE's scientist, John F. Brown, presented data from Hudson River sediments which show its PCB compounds to have a greater abundance of lower chlorinated forms than the original mixtures used at the GE factories in 1977 and earlier. Gardening and eating homegrown vegetables are not major sources of PCB exposure. 1973 U.S. Food and Drug Administration establishes a tolerance level of 5.0 parts per million (ppm) in fish. Spring runoffs and major storms can push the salt front well The successful lab process requires treating concentrations of PCBs with chemicals and nutrients, then heating these mixtures to temperatures higher than the river ever gets. nearshore areas with aquatic vegetation. populations. If a TQ suggests growth, and reproductive capability of waterfowl in the Upper Hudson River. (See the answer to Question 13.). What levels of PCBs are of concern in river surface sediment samples? a group of synthetic organic compounds consisting of 209 individual chlorinated In August 2019, New York State sued the EPA for issuing the certificate. (See also the answers to Questions 66-67). How do the timeframes for Upper Hudson River fish recovery compare to (a) the project that was implemented, (b) doing nothing, and (c) the most aggressive dredging option that was considered? concentrations of PCBs are of a sufficient magnitude to adversely affect What does EPA look for in fish samples in the Hudson River? Current fish body burdens exceed most TRVs (i.e., TQ > 1) in the Upper The Hudson River is one of the highest priority natural resources for the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) in New York State. preferences, predatory levels, and habitats (aquatic, wetland, shoreline).
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