PCBs and the Hudson River

According to data released in the Federal Toxic Release Inventory, the Hudson River is the most polluted waterway in New York state. A major concern about the river's environmental health is related to the presence of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the Upper Hudson, especially in a stretch downriver from Hudson Falls to just north of Albany. From the late 1940s until 1977, the General Electric Company legally discharged as much as 1.3 million pounds of PCBs, which are used in the production of electric capacitors, into the Hudson from their two plants in those locations. Since that time, PCBs have been linked to increased risk of cancer in humans, and have multiple impacts upon fish and wildlife. As far back as 1984, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed removing the PCBs by dredging the sediment on the bottom of the river. Opponents to the proposal have argued that the consequences of dredging might create even greater dangers than any current risks, because buried PCBs might be disturbed by the dredging. Further, they argue, PCB levels have been in decline in recent years, apparently because of the river's natural cleaning processes. In February of 2002, after years of study and review of community opinions, the EPA authorized a cleanup plan for the Hudson that specifies dredging 2.65 million cubic yards of the river bottom over a three year period. Still, many details remain to be worked out, and the debate continues. The following resources provide background information on the subject, as well as references to certain key studies. The page was developed by Yu Hui Chen, in consultation with Sue Kaczor and Gregg Sapp (September, 2002). Updated by Amanda Bauer (October, 2005).

PCBs and Health:

The following sites contain general information on PCBs -- their source, their effects on human health, and methods for cleaning up contaminated areas. Links to additional information are also provided.

Agency For Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. (www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts17.html)

EPA (www.epa.gov/hudson/humanhealth.htm)

New York State Department of Health (http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/fish/fish.htm)

Hudson River Dredging Support Groups and Major Web Sites

EPA Hudson River PCBs. (www.epa.gov/hudson/background.htm/) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's site contains background information on PCBs in general, the history of the Hudson River case, maps and photos, and additional information.

Hudson River Foundation. (http://www.hudsonriver.org/) The foundation supports using scientific research as the basis for management of the Hudson River and its watershead.

Hudson River Sloop Clearwater (http://www.clearwater.org/pcbs/index.html) This environmental activist and educational organization's most popular trademark is its traveling sloop, which sails the length of the Hudson. Hudson River Sloop Clearwater. They also have a detailed chronology of the history of PCBs in the Hudson River, including steps that have been taken to address the problems.

Poughkeepsie Journal. (http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/hudson/index.shtml) Feature articles from the Poughkeepsie Journal, includes a photo gallery.

Natural Resources Defense Council (www.nrdc.org/water/pollution/hhudson.asp). NRDC uses law, science, and the support of more than 500,000 members nationwide to protect the planet's wildlife and wild places and to ensure a safe and healthy environment for all living things.

Scenic Hudson (www.scenichudson.org/environment/pcb/index.html) "Founded in 1963, Scenic Hudson is a nonprofit environmental organization and separately incorporated land trust," "dedicated to protecting and enhancing the scenic, natural, historic, agricultural and recreational treasures of the majestic 315-mile-long Hudson River and its valley."

Anti-Dredging Voices

Selected Non-Technical Periodical Articles and News Reports*

Angelo, William J. "PCB Dredging is Unclear Option." ENR v. 246 no3 (Jan. 22 2001): 51. (SCIENCE Per TA 1 E6).

"Dredging Planned for PCB-contaminated river." Environmental Science & Technology v. 32 no11 (June 1 '98): 257A (SCIENCE Per TD 180 E5).

"EPA calls on GE to dredge Hudson River of PCBs." Sea Technology v. 42 no1 (Jan. 2001): 52-3. (SCIENCE Per TC 1501 S42X. SCIENCE Per TD 180 E5).

"GE challenges Hudson River report on PCBs." Environmental Science & Technology v. 32 no21 (Nov. 1 '98):492A-493A. )SCIENCE Per TD 180 E5).

Kolbert, Elizabeth. "The River." New Yorker v76 no 37 (December 4, 2000): 56. (ULIB Per AP 2 N6763)

"Hudson River PCB Cleanup Hits a Snag in Appeals Ruling" ENR: Engineering News-Record v. 252 no11 (March 15, 2004): 14. (SCIENCE Per TA 1 E6). New! Sept. 2005

Luz, Claudio. "The Hudson: a River Runs through an Environmental Controversy." Environmental Health Perspectives v. 110 no4 (Apr. 2002): A184-A187. (SCIENCE Per RA 11 D5 E58X).

Rauber, Paul. "Fishing For Life" Sierra v 86 n. 6 (Nov./ Dec. 2002): 42-49. (ULIB Per F 868 S5 S5)

Reed, Christina. "The Dredging Dilemma." Geotimes v. 47 no1 (Jan. 2002): 9. (SCIENCE Per QE 1 G56).

Shtipelman, Nonna. "Hudson River PCB Study Offers Solutions." Water Environment & Technology v. 7 (Apr. 1995): 16-17. (SCIENCE Per TD 419 W37).

Tierney, Kathleen. "Hudson River Project Stirs More than PCBs." Pollution Engineering v. 33 no1 (Jan. 2001): 10-12.

Selected Scholarly and Technical Periodical Articles/ Reports

Baker, Joel; et al. "PCBs in the Hudson River: The Science Behind the Dredging Controversy -- A White Paper Prepared for the Hudson River Foundation" (October 2001). Available at: http://www.hudsonriver.org/hrfpcb102901.pdf

Bopp, RF; Chillrud, SN; Shuster, EL; Simpson, HJ; Estabrooks, FD. "Trends in Chlorinated Hydrocarbon Levels in Hudson River Basin Sediments Environmental Health Perspectives, v106, Suppl. 4 (Aug. 1998): 1075-1081. (SCIENCE Per RA 11 D5 E58X)

Brown, Mark P.; Werner, Mary B.; Sloan, Ronald J.; Simpson, Karl W. "Polychlorinated Biphenlys in the Hudson River: Environmental Science & Technology v.19 no.8 (August 1985): 656-661. (SCIENCE Per TD 180 E5).

Connolly, John P.; Zahakos, Harry A.; Benaman, Jennifer. "A Model of PCB Fate in the Upper Hudson River." Environmental Science & Technology v. 34 no19 (Oct. 1 2000): 4076-4087. (SCIENCE Per TD 180 E5).

Harkness, MR; McDermott, JB; Abramowicz, DA; Salvo, JJ; Flanagan, WP; Stephens, ML; Mondello, FJ; May, RJ; Lobos, JH; et al. " In Situ Stimulation of Aaerobic PCB Biodegradation in Hudson River Sediments." Science v. 259, no. 5094 (Jan. 22, 1993): 503-507. (SCIENCE Per Q 1 S34X).

"PCBs in the Upper Huson River" / prepared for General Electric, Albany, New York, by the Quantitative Environmental Analysis, LLC. 1999. (SCIENCE TD 427 P65 P23X 1999)

Steinberg, Laura J; Reckhow, Kenneth H; Wolpert, Robert L "Bayesian Model for Fate and Transport of Polycholorinated Biphenyl in Upper Hudson River" Journal of Environmental Engineering, vol. 122,no. 5, (1996): 341-349.

Thomann, RV; St. John, JP. "Fate of PCBs in the Hudson River Ecosystem" Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, v. 320 (1979): 610-629. (SCIENCE Q11 N5 v20)

Horn, EG; Hetling, LJ; Tofflemire, TJ. "Problem of PCBs in the Hudson River System" Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, v. 320 (1979):591-609. (SCIENCE Q11 N5 v20).

Selected Government Documents

"Database for the Hudson River PCBs Reassessment RI/FS," by the United States, Environmental Protection Agency. Region II Edition: Release 4.1 Publisher: TAMS Consultants, Inc. (1998). (ULIB GOVDOC TD 427 P65 U556X 1998 CMEDIA)

"Evaluation of Removal Action Alternatives, Thompson Island Pool, Early Action Assessment," by the Environmental Protection Agency (1999). (SCIENCE TD 427 P65 E83X 1999)

"Further Site Characterization and Analysis, Revised Baseline Modelling Report, Hudson River PCB Reassement." by TAMS Consultants, et al. Publisher: Environmental Protection Agency. (2000). (SCIENCE TD 427 P65 U5556X 2000).

"Hudson River PCBs Reassessment Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study Community Interaction Program minutes of meetings, April 1998 to June 2000." by United States. Environmental Protection Agency. Region II. Publisher: The Agency. (2000). (SCIENCE OVER TD 427 P65 U58X 2000).

"Hudson River PCBs Reassessment RI/FS Phase 3 Report : Feasibility Study" by United States. Environmental Protection Agency. Region II Publisher: The Agency,(2000). (SCIENCE TD 427 P65 U574X 2000).

"Hudson River PCBs Reassessment RI/FS Response to Peer Review Comments on the Baseline Ecological Risk Assessment" by the United States. Environmental Protection Agency. Region II. Publisher: The Agency. (2000). (SCIENCE TD 427 P65 U5684X 2000).

"Hudson River PCBs Reassessment RI/FS Responsiveness Summary for Volume 2F-A Human Health Risk Assessment for the Mid-Hudson River" by United States. Environmental Protection Agency. Region II. Publisher: The Agency. (2000) (SCIENCE TD 427 P65 U55585X 2000).

"Report on the Peer Rreview of the Ecological Risk Assessment for the Hudson River PCBs Superfund Site Final Report" by United States. Environmental Protection Agency. Region II. Emergency and Remedial Response Division. Publisher: Eastern Research Group, (2000). (SCIENCE TD 427 P65 U5674X 2000).

"Report on the peer review of the Hudson River PCBs human health risk assessment final report" by United States. Environmental Protection Agency. Region II. Emergency and Remedial Response Division. Publisher: Eastern Research Group (2000). (SCIENCE TD 427 P65 U5675X 2000)

* The full text of many of these titles is available online. Check "Minerva," the online catalog, for more information.

YH 9/3/03; Updates and link rev. ACB Sept. 2005