Pamphlet
Should we
DREDGE
the Hudson River
to remove PCBs ?
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References
1 United States Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved on October 19, 2009 from, http://epa.gov/superfund/accomp/success/hudson.htm
2 Gordon, J. (January 2001) Dredging Works: The Plattsburgh PCB Cleanup. � HYPERLINK "http://www.clearwater.org" ��www.clearwater.org� retrieved October 20, 2009 from, � HYPERLINK "http://www.clearwater.org/news/works.html" ��www.clearwater.org/news/works.html�
The Hudson River Dredging Project. Retrieved October 20, 2009 from, � HYPERLINK "http://www.hudsondredging.com/about_the_project" ��www.hudsondredging.com/about_the_project�
Hudson River Foundation for Science and Environmental Research. Retrieved on October 20, 2009 from, � HYPERLINK "http://www.hudsonriver.org/download/hrfpcb102901.pdf" ��www.hudsonriver.org/download/hrfpcb102901.pdf�
Clearwater News and Bulletins. (n.d) Fact Sheet 11, Facts About Dredging Hudson River PCBs. Retrieved October 20, 2009, from � HYPERLINK "http://www.clearwater.org/news/dredge.html" ��www.clearwater.org/news/dredge.html�
United States Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved on October 19, 2009, from � HYPERLINK "http://epa.gov/superfund/accomp/success/hudson.htm" ��http://epa.gov/superfund/accomp/success/hudson.htm�
� HYPERLINK "http://www.epa.gov/hudson" ��http://www.epa.gov/hudson�
Cronin, J. (2009) Answers About Dredging in the Hudson. The New York Times. Retrived on October 17, 2009 from � HYPERLINK "http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/17/answers-about-dredging-in-the-hudson/" ��http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/17/answers-about-dredging-in-the-hudson/�
In response to the opponents
The PCB dredging project along Lake Champlain in Plattsburgh, NY has demonstrated the effectiveness of environmental dredging.
The three year process removed 25,000 pounds of PCBs, reducing on-site contamination by 90%. Waterfront homes along the shoreline were undisturbed, and swimming beaches and motels stayed open during the process. A paper plant intake valve, which required water clarity with no more than 2 parts per billion of suspended particles, remained open throughout the dredging.2
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The habitat that is temporarily destroyed during dredging will redevelop once the dredging is complete.
The local communities have seen an increase in business revenue from the dredging crews. Dredging has provided new jobs and once complete the site in NY will be a state of the art industry site with access to a waterway.
New York Medical College
Kara Sinon
� HYPERLINK "mailto:Kara_Sinon@nymc.edu" ��Kara_Sinon@nymc.edu�
ENV 5001: Environmental Influences on Human Health
Fall 2009
Since 1976, high levels of PCBs in fish have led New York State to close various recreational and commercial fisheries and to issue advisories restricting the consumption of fish caught in the Hudson River.
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What is the Controversy?
Opponents of dredging have the following arguments:
Dredging will cause more harm than good – it will disturb the current habitats
Dredging will cause PCBs to be stirred up and exposed
Dredging will negatively impact the surrounding communities
Specifically - noise pollution, increased traffic made my dredging crews, and a negative environmental impact of moving a toxic substance from one location to another.
What you need to know!
What are PCBs?
How do PCBs affect me?
Why dredge?
Why we
SHOULD DREDGE
the
Hudson River!
PCBs DO NOT DISAPPEAR - The only way to control and limit exposure is to remove them.
PCBs continue to move through the environment, damaging ecosystems.
It is important that we act now – with each year that passes, PCBs wash over the Federal Dam in Troy, NY and head downstream. If we dredge we decrease the potential for current and future harm.
There is the potential that erosion or an unforeseen natural disaster could cause embedded PCBs to be stirred up. New water supplies could become contaminated. Once in the water system PCBs travel the world, moving from rivers to oceans.
The Hudson River is not able to cleanse itself of the PCBs.
The levels of PCBs in the Hudson River ecosystem are among the highest levels in the nation.
Dredging has been done before and is PROVEN TO BE SUCCESSFUL
What are PCBs?
PCBs or polychlorinated biphenyls are a group of man made chemicals that are toxic and can remain in the environment for decades.
PCBs do not dissolve in water. They cling to sediment particles and sink to the bottom of the river. Once on the river bottom they are eaten by tiny organisms and enter the food chain. They are eaten by larger fish and eventually large birds of prey and/or humans. Higher concentrations of PCBs are found at the top of the food chain.
What do PCBs mean to me?
PCBs are bad for your health!
PCBs cause neurological, reproductive, and endocrine problems, as well as birth defects in both humans and wildlife. They are a suspected cause of cancer in humans. They are known to cause cancer in animals.
How did PCBs get into the Hudson River?
During a 30-year period ending in 1977, between 209,000 and 1.3 million pounds of PCBs were released into the Hudson River from two General Electric capacitor manufacturing plants. One plant was located in Fort Edward, NY and the second in Hudson Falls, NY. PCB oils were released both directly and indirectly from these plants. The removal of the Fort Edward dam in 1973 spread the accumulated PCBs downstream as far south as the New York City Harbor.1