Ge has removed pcbs from numerous sites on its property, the city and the housatonic since a legal document governing the cleanup, known as a consent decree, was finalized in 2000. In 2015, after years of protests, lobbying, and drawnout government studies, general electric co. After more than a year and a half of mediation, the u. If you require an urgent shipment, please either add a comment to your order or call our office at 18873358904. Rest of river of the gepittsfieldhousatonic river site. The committee for the housatonic river clean up, inc. Agreement will help speed cleanup of the housatonic river. Epa information on past and ongoing cleanup work of the housatonic river in western massachusetts and connecticut, including legal and technical documents. Housatonic river initiative working toward a fishable. Pcbs polychlorinated biphenyls released from the general electric facility in pittsfield, massachusetts since the 1930s are widespread throughout the housatonic river and its floodplain, and are found in water, sediment, river banks, floodplain soil, and in both aquatic and terrestrial animals.
Ge challenges epas proposed cleanup plan for housatonic. The housatonic river flows through rural western massachusetts, heading south through connecticut, ultimately discharging into the atlantic ocean. Patch tests performed with halowax and with the chloro diphenyls pcbs have yielded negative results. It flows south to southeast, and drains about 1,950 square miles 5,100 km 2 of southwestern connecticut into long island sound. The first, yearlong phase of dredging occurred between may and november 2009. Rest of river is the term used in the consent decree to describe the investigation and decision making process for the section of the housatonic river from the confluence of the east and west branch downstream into connecticut. Neighbor news housatonic river cleanup by mlmcewen, neighbor apr, 2014 7. Andrew cuomo delivered ge big taxpayer subsidies at a time when the company was making the controversial move to shut down its cleanup of the hudson river a waterway which, like the housatonic, was polluted with polychlorinated byphenols, or pcbs, by ges manufacturing facilities in the mid20th century. Berkshires grandfather finishes monthlong canoe trip to. Rest of river 2020 settlement agreement settlement agreement pdf 48 pp, 6. A sign is posted near a bridge over the housatonic river near the general electric plant in pittsfield, ma. The settlement requires general electric to remove more pcbs from the housatonic river than the 2016 epa permit required. Housatonic river five years after pcb cleanup other parties to this discussion dont show pictures after restoration has been allowed to take hold. The still river slowmoving and meandering has been part of the western connecticut geography since a great glacial lake that covered the region drained away, leaving only.
Maps of the housatonic river housatonic pcb cleanup options. In housatonic river deal with ge, towns agree to toxic. From circa 1932 until 1977, the river received pcb protection discharges from the general electric ge plant at pittsfield massachusetts much like the pollution record with ge general electric with pcbs and other contaminants with hudson river with more clean up neccessary. The fun patch department will be working modified hours and shipping a few times a week until further notice. Epa estimates that over a 30year period ending in the late 1970s, an estimated 1. This document is referred to as the final permit modification for rest of river. Its watershed is just to the west of the watershed of the. Housatonic river natural resource restoration library. At this time it is unclear when the event will be rescheduled, but we are hopeful that we will still be able to hold our 32nd annual event during 2020. Under the trump administration, the decadeslong battle to get the company to clean up its pcb mess looks more uncertain than ever. Epa new england office, general electric and cities and towns along the housatonic river have agreed to dispose some of the toxic pcb. Between 1932 and 1977, ge discharged polychlorinated biphenyls pcbs and other.
They only show you the river during and immediately. Ge s preferred solution is to create a local pcb dump in the towns of lee and lenox or great barrington, something the housatonic rest of river municipal committeewhich represents the six most. The company has already paid for a major cleanup of two miles of the river closest to the plant, but contaminated soil still stretches across more than 400 acres along 10. Ge plans to dump on the berkshires with housatonic river. Ge has fought back against the environmental protection agencys latest demandsin the cleanup of pollution in the housatonic river, which came from a now inactive ge plant in pittsfield. Featured events are paid listings by users and receive priority placement on patch, on our social pages and in our daily. Ge, which is on the hook for the cleanup costs, objected. Ge, massachusetts towns agree to more housatonic river cleanup. Epa executed that cleanup and shared the cost with ge using a sliding scale. Esc, llc forum sponsored by housatonic river initiative heal, beat, bl ec, hva, stop dumps, bnrc. Housatonic river cleanup by mlmcewen, neighbor apr, 2014 7. Environment protection agency epa designated the pittsfield plant and. Tonik is a river, approximately 149 miles 240 km long, in western massachusetts and western connecticut in the united states.
Charles krupaassociated pressfile 2010associated press david abel. Epas cleanup plan follows an extensive public comment. The company released pcbs, a probable cancercausing toxin, into the housatonic from its pittsfield electric transformer plant for about 40 years. Washington serious questions about the nature of the housatonic pcb cleanup were vigorously but civilly debated in washington d. Agreement will help speed cleanup of the housatonic river ap news. Housatonic river cleanup agreement is a pretty decent. The dredging of river bottom sediment began in 2009 and was completed in fall 2015. Ge, epa, the city of pittsfield, berkshire county towns bordering the housatonic and several environmental organizations have agreed to a settlement agreement that sets out goals for the clean up of the housatonic river and calls for a massive pcb dump not far from woods pond. Guys, we know the new ge patch is ugly, but the association between them and our favorite team might be worse than that.
After 40 years, will ge get a pass for polluting the housatonic river. Final cleanup plan issued for housatonic river project. Ge and epa completed work along and in the two miles of river directly south of. Ges longshuttered plant in pittsfield dumped pcbs into the housatonic river from the 1930s to the 1970s. Our 2020 event scheduled to take place on april 18th has been postponed.
The final cleanup plan is also referred to as the final permit modification for rest of river. Epas cleanup plan follows an extensive public comment period and a dispute by the responsible party, general electric company ge. General electric s plant in pittsfield dumped large amounts of toxic chemicals known as pcbs into the housatonic river from the 1930s to the 1970s. The consent decree provides for cleanup of the housatonic river and associated areas, cleanup of the general electric plant facility, environmental restoration of the housatonic river, compensation for natural resource damages, and. Epa is the lead agency for cleanup of the hudson river pcbs superfund site. The epa had previously argued that all pcbladen waste should be shipped out of state. Epa issues final cleanup plan for the housatonic river. Epa wants to reopen talks on ge cleanup the boston globe. Ge and mass dep are using this stretch of the river to imply the clean up destroyed the river. Ges pcbs are now found in sediment, water and wildlife throughout the hudson river ecosystem as far south as the new york harbor. Hudson river cleanup hudson river pcbs superfund site. Powerpoint presentation given at the gehousatonic river restoration open house 5118 lenox, ma. It appears that beats web page has had only one minor update since 2006. Housatonic river cleanup, canceled due to the corona virus.
Environmental protection agency epa has issued its final decision on its rest of river permit, which outlines a final cleanup plan for. Ge is conducting all required postremoval site control activities, including inspection, monitoring, and maintenance activities at these cleanups. I was at the gehousatonic river cleanup public meeting in great. Ge plans to dump on the berkshires with housatonic river cleanup by heather bellow friday, feb 26, 2016 news 5 lenox it was a window into a brief moment in the torturous, more than 20year battle to make a polluting corporate giant wipe up after itself and haul its poisons out of the berkshires. General electric and several stakeholders reached a deal this week on the next phase of cleaning up toxic waste from the housatonic river. Environmental protection agency issued its final decision on its rest of river permit, which outlines a final cleanup plan for a 125 mile stretch of the housatonic river from pittsfield, mass. In 1903, general electric ge began its operations in pittsfield, mass. Our 2019 event is scheduled to take place on april 27th from 82. Public comment, meetings and events for the gepittsfield. The cleanup is needed because ge released probable cancercausing polychlorinated biphenyls, or pcbs, into the river from its pittsfield transformer plant from. Back me up or prove me wrong, ill feel better either way. The remediation of the 20 nonriver cleanup areas and the first two miles of the housatonic river are substantially complete. Public meeting attendees at gehousatonic river restoration open house 5118 lenox, ma. If this is the first time you are hosting a river cleanup we highly encourage you to read the national river cleanup handbook it has everything you need to organize and host a successful cleanup along with some added benefits like direct downloads of forms to print out.
General electric company ge, which had a manufacturing facility in pittsfield, disposed of polychlorinated biphenyls pcbs in the. Longterm monitoring is ongoing at 3 groundwater management areas gmas. Students this is a great way to get your community service hours. Public meeting notes from gehousatonic river restoration open house 5118 lenox, ma. Epa seeks public input on proposed cleanup plan for the housatonic river rest of river project epa has completed a proposed cleanup plan to remove pcb contamination from the rest of river portion of the housatonic river, and the agency is. During phase 1, approximately 283,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment was removed from a sixmile stretch of the upper hudson river near the.
The housatonic river runs 140 miles from pittsfield, ma, through lee, great barrington and many other small communities on its way through connecticut to the long island sound. In housatonic river deal with ge, towns agree to toxic waste. Epa, ge, and stakeholders reach landmark settlement agreement to enhance and accelerate cleanup of the housatonic river twenty years ago, ge committed to work with epa to clean the housatonic river. This agreement makes good on our longstanding commitment to a comprehensive cleanup of the housatonic rest of river that fully protects the. Epa housatonic river public meetings public hearing on proposed cleanup plan for the ge pittsfieldhousatonic river site.
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