News stories tagged with "pcbs"

(08/23/11) The state Department of Environmental Conservation is joining the Federal Environmental Protection Agency in the effort to clean up a heavily polluted half-mile section of the Black River.

Paper mills and other industry along the river near the villages of Carthage and West Carthage, left it heavily polluted. The area was declared an EPA Superfund site last year. But it's still heavily used for fishing, rafting and kayaking, and there are several homes along the polluted stretch. more

(11/13/09) The Environmental Protection Agency was to be in Ft Edward last night for an information session on the dredging of PCB-laden sediment from the Hudson River. The $780 million project is expected to take six years. It's the biggest clean up of a river in the country. The first phase of the cleanup concluded in October.

PCBs are considered probable carcinogens. General Electric plants in Fort Edward and neighboring Hudson Falls dumped PCB-contaminated wastewater into the Hudson for decades before PCBs were banned in 1977. GE has been doing the clean up, supervised by the EPA. They'll review this past summer's work over the winter. The next dredging work is expected in 2011.

GE fought the plan to dredge PCBs for years. Spokesman Mark Behan told the Albany Times Union the company has not committed to continue to pay for the clean up when dredging resumes.

A fight over dioxin pollution from a Dow Chemical plant in central Michigan also dates back over 30 years. It's a local issue that's made national news, like the Hudson River PCBs. And it's still unresolved, despite administration changes, Congressional hearings, and whistle-blower awards. Shawn Allee met the man who first took the issue to Congress and who feels it should make news again. more

(08/20/09) Three months after the Environmental Protection Agency began dredging toxic PCBs from the Hudson River, the project faces fresh criticism. The cleanup of industrial chemicals dumped in the river by General Electric is one of the largest and most complex environmental efforts ever undertaken in the U.S.

But many locals say too much pollution from the project is leaking back into the water and the air. They also worry that the dredging has damaged archeological sites along the river. Brian Mann reports from Fort Edward.

(05/18/09) After decades of research, litigation and political wrangling, General Electric is finally dredging tons of PCB-contaminated muck from the upper Hudson River. The first scoop was pulled from the river Friday morning. It's expected to be one of the biggest and most challenging environmental clean-ups in US history. This morning, Brian Mann has a special in-depth look at the battle over the future of the Hudson River.

(05/06/08) 150 scientists from the U.S. and Canada meet in Cornwall, Ontario, today to assess the health of the St. Lawrence River. The St. Lawrence River Institute's annual conference comes on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the construction of the hydropower dam. The dam brought clean power and good jobs, but also pollution, Superfund sites, and environmental destruction. David Sommerstein reports.

(01/11/06) A group of religious investors led by a Roman Catholic nun says General Electric spent more than $120 million trying to block the clean up of toxic PCBs. GE disclosed the figures after years of pressure from activist shareholders. As Brian Mann reports, critics say the money should have been spent cleaning up the Hudson River and other polluted sites.

(10/07/05) The US Environmental Protection Agency and General Electric have struck a deal on dredging PCB-contaminated sediment from the bottom of the upper Hudson River. Martha Foley reports.

(01/13/03) The people most at risk from contaminants in fish often don't know it. Different chemicals found in fish from many inland lakes, including the Great Lakes, can be harmful to human development. State governments issue fish consumption advisories that recommend limiting eating such fish. the Great Lakes Radio Consortium's Lester Graham reports that not everyone learns of the advisories.

(01/08/03) General Electric's factories in Fort Edward and Schenectady are facing their first national strike in more than thirty years. GE's largest unions - representing some twenty thousand workers - say they'll stage a two-day protest next week. As Brian Mann reports, local businesses worry that a longer dispute could follow.

(12/07/01) The decision to dredge toxic PCBs from the Hudson River could help to shape the upcoming governor's race. Republican Governor George Pataki supported the clean-up, a move that will win support from many downstate voters. But Pataki's position has angered many upstate conservatives. Brian Mann has details.