On-Hudson.com

A Day In The Life Of The Hudson River Estuary 2010 October 14 2010

http://readme.readmedia.com/Media-Advisory-A-Day-in-the-Life-Of-The-Hudson-River-Estuary-2010/1745792

by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

ALBANY, NY (10/12/2010)(readMedia)--

What: Thousands of students and teachers, many from your area, engaging in hands-on scientific learning exercises in the Hudson River. The Press is invited to attend.

When: Thursday, Oct. 14, 2010

Where: More than 60 locations between NYC and Troy (see schedule below for a selection of locations)

Why: A primary goal of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is to connect New Yorkers to nature. The DEC's Hudson River Estuary Program helps prepare students to become stewards of the river's water quality and fish.

On Thurs., Oct. 14, environmental education centers and school classes all along the Hudson River estuary will collect scientific information and share it to create a picture of "A Day in the Life of the Hudson River." This annual program will help participants understand how their piece of the river fits into the larger Hudson estuary ecosystem.

Sponsored by the DEC's Hudson River Estuary Program, the "Day in the Life" event is in its eighth year. Some 3,000 students and educators will be sampling the estuary's waters at more than 60 sites from New York Harbor to the Capital District.

In partnership with the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, the Hudson River Estuary Program has recruited river educators to work with students at each site. They will use hands-on field techniques to describe their sites, seine for fish, collect water and invertebrate samples, and examine water chemistry parameters. Results will be posted online, and collected samples will be used by researchers at Lamont-Doherty and Rutgers University.

In addition to the benefits of an outdoor, place-based field trip, "Day in the Life" is taking advantage of technology options as well. Participating classes will receive post-program summaries of the event by email within a week, and schools are invited to talk about their results with DEC Estuary Program educators through videoconferencing . Teachers are invited to a follow-up webinar about the event's results scheduled for November 4th. Also new this year, workshops throughout the valley will connect teachers to the Hudson River Environmental Conditions Observing System (HRECOS), a network of real-time water quality stations with which classrooms can connect and enhance their Day in the Life experiences.

For more detailed information on the event and history of the event, visit the DEC website athttp://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/47285.html .

Participating classes continue to represent the full diversity of the region's school population, from urban to rural settings. Some examples of the student populations involved are:

• DeWitt Clinton HS, Bronx - 20 high school students at Inwood Hill Park on the Harlem River, northern Manhattan.
• Saunders Trades and Technical High School, Yonkers - 15 high school students at the Beczak Environmental Education Center, Yonkers.
• Pearl River High School, Tappan Zee High School, Clarkstown South High School, Rockland - 5 high school classes at the Piermont Pier with Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory scientists.
• Krieger Elementary at Quiet Cove, Poughkeepsie – two 4th-5th grade classes, plus a partnering class from Wappingers Falls.
• Tech Valley High School, Rensselaer - 40 students at the Rensselaer waterfront park.

A list of confirmed sites for Oct. 14th attached below. "RM" refers to River Miles up the river as measured from the Battery at Manhattan. "NY Hbr" refers to New York Harbor, "ER" is East River, and "HRL" is Harlem River. For additional information on teachers and partner organizations, and to schedule visits to a site, please email or call: Fran Dunwell, Hudson River Estuary Coordinator (845-256-3016; [email protected]) or Chris Bowser, event coordinator, (845-264-5041; [email protected]).

 

Bacteria Concentration Know As "Red Tide" Identified In The Hudson & @Jones Beach Inlet

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2010/09/red_tide.html

'Red tide' in Hudson River represents potential danger to fish and boaters, officials announce

Ken Thorbourne

Pamela Suchy/The Jersey Journal

A reddish sheen reported this morning on the Hudson River has been determined to be red tide outbreak, an accumulation of bacteria whose dense concentration turns the affected water a reddish brown in color, U.S. Coast Guard officials announced this afternoon.

The sheen — which stretched from the vicinity of the USS Intrepid Museum to Hoffman Island, a distance of 9.5 miles — was reported at around 7 a.m. this morning and a Coast Guard investigation team was dispatched to the scene, officials said.

The determination of a red tide outbreak was made by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection working through the Hudson Regional Health Commission.

The algae concentration is moving from north to south, slowly drifting down the harbor and out to sea, officials said.

The naturally occurring algae bloom is a common event in coastal waters throughout the world.

This phenomenon is a potential health hazard to boaters and swimmers if they ingest tainted water. The concentrated algae also can deplete oxygen in affected waters resulting in fish kills.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the Hudson Regional Health Commission recommends boaters and swimmers avoid the red tide and thoroughly wash all articles that come into contact.

A similar sheen was reported in Long Island Sound approximately three miles south of Jones Beach Inlet.

Federal Environmental Protection Agency Estimates Next Phase Of Hudson River Dredging Expected To Be Seven Years

http://www.dredgingtoday.com/2010/08/30/hudson-river-dredging-project-will-take-seven-years-more-usa/

The next phase of Hudson River dredging could take seven years or more, longer than past estimates of as little as five years, the federal Environmental Protection Agency said Friday.

The agency made the statement in a response to a draft report from an independent panel reviewing last year’s PCB dredging along the upper river. The peer review panel said this month that it could take more than five years to perform the job well.

The EPA said it agrees that so-called Phase 2 dredging, which represents about 90 percent of the cleanup, would likely require more time than had been estimated earlier. The timeframe depends on the amount of contaminants found on the river bottom and how quickly they can be removed, said Walter Mugdan, the EPA’s regional Superfund director. He said the agency was “cautiously optimistic” crews could keep a good pace.

The peer review panel’s draft report called for substantial changes in the Superfund project before crews embark on Phase 2. The EPA has said it wanted to restart work next year.

In its comments to the panel, General Electric proposed dredging in 2011 that focuses on the areas left unfinished in the test phase last year. The company said results of that dredging could be analyzed and used to set standards for Phase 2.

GE plants in Fort Edward and neighboring Hudson Falls discharged wastewater containing PCBs before the lubricant and coolant was banned in 1977. PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls, are considered probable carcinogens.

The peer review panel’s final report is due Sept. 10. The EPA will consider the report when it decides this fall on how to continue with the next phase of dredging.

By Michael Hill (therepublic)

Department Of Enviormental Conservation Approves Recycling Center For Coeymans WaterFront

http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=786877&category=REGION

Recycling center OK'd for Hudson River shore

State issues permit for 125-acre marine terminal; no plan to haul downstate garbage

COEYMANS — The state has approved plans by a subsidiary of Altamont-based Carver Construction for a construction-and-demolition debris recycling center at a former brickyard on the Hudson River just north of the village.
As part of the permit, the state Department of Environmental Conservation assured anxious residents the 125-acre marine terminal will not be used to haul municipal garbage from downstate.

Company owner Carver Laraway plans to spend up to $10 million — with up to $1.5 million in assistance from the state — to build the terminal off Route 144, where as many as 50 trucks a day and four barges a week could deliver up to 1,000 tons a day of old bricks, asphalt, concrete, masonry and other debris 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Debris would be stored for sorting into reusable materials for resale. The company, which initially used the name P&M Brick, is now named LW Land Development.

The former brickyard, which operated from 1905 until closing in 2001, has been the focus of speculation for years by local residents who have fought a long-standing plan by the city of Albany to build a massive new dump less than a mile away. They have long feared that wharves there would be used to barge in municipal garbage from downstate.

Albany's landfill plan has been stalled over concerns about federally protected wetlands on the site, and the city is pushing for another expansion of its Rapp Road dump.

In a March 9 letter for DEC's permit for Laraway's project, DEC analyst Angelo Marcuccio wrote that "The facility will not be authorized to receive municipal solid waste (garbage)." The facility will be allowed to receive debris that is up to 15 percent municipal solid waste, which will be separated and carted away for "appropriate disposal at a permitted facility."

DEC also decided that the recycling center will not harm the 1,052-acre Schodack Island State Park, located directly across the river in Rensselaer County.

Opened in 2002, the park has 8 miles of hiking trails along with a boat launch, and includes a bird sanctuary, home to bald eagles and blue herons.

While the center will be visible from the water's edge in the park, trees and other brush along trails should obscure the view during the spring and summer months, when the park is expected to have most of its visitors, wrote Marcuccio.

Piles of construction debris are "similar to the previous and current industrial uses at the site, and are considered to be consistent with the historical and present view of the site from the river, park and surrounding area," he wrote.

Last summer, officials from the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation asked DEC to consider the impact on the park.

On Friday, parks spokesman Dan Keefe said DEC required noise-deadening changes to the center's crane and processing building, and will require periodic noise testing .

The historic Arriantje Coeymans Stone House, an early homestead of a Dutch settler that dates to the 1720s, is also nearby, but is not visible from the recycling center, according to DEC. The house is on the state and national registers of historic places.

Brian Nearing can be reached at 454-5094 or by e-mail at [email protected].

United Water Seeks Department Of Environmental Conservation Approval For Hudson River Drinking Water Conversion Plant For

http://lohud.com/article/20090405/NEWS03/904050361/1019/NEWS03

DEC will lead review of United Water desalination plant

LAURA INCALCATERRA

HAVERSTRAW - The state Department of Environmental Conservation will oversee the environmental review of United Water New York's proposed Hudson River water treatment plant.

The agency indicated it was likely to take on the role in January, when it sent out letters stating such an intention.

No objections were made, leaving the DEC to officially declare its role.

Some environmentalists voiced concern about the possibility that the oversight job would fall strictly to Haverstraw town, where United Water wants to build its plant.

They saw the possibility as a potential conflict of interest.

The town would like to host the plant to reap property-tax benefits.

But its supervisor, Howard Phillips, said the facility was welcome only if it met all publichealth and safety standards.

Another major step in the review process is about to be taken, with the DEC setting a "public scoping session" for May 7 to solicit public comment regarding the proposed plant.

The scoping session "provides the public with an opportunity to submit substantive comments that they propose be included as part of the draft environmental impact statement," DEC spokeswoman Maureen Wren said.

In other words, the session is the public's chance to tell the DEC what should be examined as part of the overall environmental review.

The DEC also has issued a "positive declaration" regarding the project, concluding that the proposal may have significant impacts on the environment, and that, therefore, an official environmental review should be conducted.

United Water's spokesman, Steve Goudsmith, said the company welcomes the review.

"We certainly look forward to a robust scoping session, and we believe that public participation is an important part of the process," Goudsmith said.

He also stressed the meaning of the "positive declaration."

"The positive declaration says the project may have an impact," Goudsmith said. "It doesn't conclude that it will."

Some environmentalists formed the Rockland Coalition for Sustainable Water in response to United Water's proposal.

They wanted oversight by the DEC, and also want a deeper review to determine whether a new plant is needed or if conservation and the creation of a new reservoir might suffice.

Coalition members, including the Stony Point Action Committee for the Environment, and several watchdog groups including the Tarrytown-based environmental organization Riverkeeper, have raised concerns about the cost to build and operate the plant, the potential impact on fish and wetlands, and the amount of energy that would be consumed by the plant, among other issues.

The DEC cited those and other issues as ones to be considered in the review process, the positive declaration shows.

United Water wants to build a desalination and water treatment plant on about 9 acres at the former Haverstraw landfill.

The company wants to draw water from the river, remove the salt and other contaminants, and deliver it to its Rockland customers.

The plant would draw up to 10 million gallons of river water daily, but take up to 20 million gallons per day for 12 hours during the low tide, according to the DEC's positive declaration.

The project would include a raw-water intake unit and pumping station along the Hudson, a desalination and water treatment plant at the former landfill, a raw-water transmission line between the two facilities, potable water lines connecting the treatment plant to existing United Water New York infrastructure, and pipelines to transmit sludge from the treatment plant to the Haverstraw Joint Regional Sewage Treatment Plant, the positive declaration states.

Permit Issued For BrickYard To Recycling Center Conversion On The Banks Of The Hudson River

http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=786877&category=REGION

Recycling center OK'd for Hudson River shore State issues permit for 125-acre marine terminal; no plan to haul downstate garbage

BRIAN NEARING  COEYMANS — The state has approved plans by a subsidiary of Altamont-based Carver Construction for a construction-and-demolition debris recycling center at a former brickyard on the Hudson River just north of the village. As part of the permit, the state Department of Environmental Conservation assured anxious residents the 125-acre marine terminal will not be used to haul municipal garbage from downstate. Company owner Carver Laraway plans to spend up to $10 million — with up to $1.5 million in assistance from the state — to build the terminal off Route 144, where as many as 50 trucks a day and four barges a week could deliver up to 1,000 tons a day of old bricks, asphalt, concrete, masonry and other debris 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Debris would be stored for sorting into reusable materials for resale. The company, which initially used the name P&M Brick, is now named LW Land Development. The former brickyard, which operated from 1905 until closing in 2001, has been the focus of speculation for years by local residents who have fought a long-standing plan by the city of Albany to build a massive new dump less than a mile away. They have long feared that wharves there would be used to barge in municipal garbage from downstate. Albany's landfill plan has been stalled over concerns about federally protected wetlands on the site, and the city is pushing for another expansion of its Rapp Road dump. In a March 9 letter for DEC's permit for Laraway's project, DEC analyst Angelo Marcuccio wrote that "The facility will not be authorized to receive municipal solid waste (garbage)." The facility will be allowed to receive debris that is up to 15 percent municipal solid waste, which will be separated and carted away for "appropriate disposal at a permitted facility." DEC also decided that the recycling center will not harm the 1,052-acre Schodack Island State Park, located directly across the river in Rensselaer County. Opened in 2002, the park has 8 miles of hiking trails along with a boat launch, and includes a bird sanctuary, home to bald eagles and blue herons. While the center will be visible from the water's edge in the park, trees and other brush along trails should obscure the view during the spring and summer months, when the park is expected to have most of its visitors, wrote Marcuccio. Piles of construction debris are "similar to the previous and current industrial uses at the site, and are considered to be consistent with the historical and present view of the site from the river, park and surrounding area," he wrote. Last summer, officials from the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation asked DEC to consider the impact on the park. On Friday, parks spokesman Dan Keefe said DEC required noise-deadening changes to the center's crane and processing building, and will require periodic noise testing . The historic Arriantje Coeymans Stone House, an early homestead of a Dutch settler that dates to the 1720s, is also nearby, but is not visible from the recycling center, according to DEC. The house is on the state and national registers of historic places. Brian Nearing can be reached at 454-5094 or by e-mail at [email protected].

New Hudson River Valley Conservation Guide Available From Department Of Environmental Protection

http://readme.readmedia.com/news/show/New-Guide-Available-to-Help-Hudson-River-Valley-Communities-Conserve-Natural-Areas/427537

News from New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

For more information contact: Lori Severino, 518-402-8000

New Guide Available to Help Hudson River Valley Communities Conserve Natural Areas

ALBANY, NY (03/17/2009; 0936)(readMedia)-- Communities in the Hudson Valley looking for help in protecting natural resources can now tap into a new handbook,Conserving Natural Areas and Wildlife in Your Community: Smart Growth Strategies for Protecting the Biological Diversity of New York's Hudson River Valley, released today by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).

The guidebook provides a roadmap for municipalities to use their local powers to protect valuable natural resources. It includes "How They Did It" profiles of numerous Hudson Valley communities that already have consulted successfully with DEC to protect their natural areas, wildlife habitat and water bodies.

"Up and down the Hudson Valley, communities are recognizing the importance of fostering green and healthy communities - and the vital role planning plays in achieving local goals," said DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis. "DEC is here to help. This new handbook provides practical guidance to communities on key topics such as conservation, mapping, public participation and education, and inter-municipal approaches to land use. We hope it serves as a 'how to' book for municipalities working to conserve the Hudson Valley's natural heritage."

Eight years ago, through the Hudson River Estuary Program, the DEC began helping Hudson Valley communities take local action to protect their important natural areas and wildlife. Since then, more than 80 towns, villages and cities in the Hudson Valley have mapped habitats, taken training, or adopted plans and local laws. The new handbook provides these examples to assist others who are looking for models. Some examples:

Coxsackie, a rural town in Greene County, adopted standards for planning board applicants to identify and conserve natural areas as part of the update of its new comprehensive plan and zoning. The Town's action supplements conservation by Greene County, where the county Industrial Development Authority (IDA), Soil and Water Conservation District, and the Greene Land Trust has protected more than 400 acres of open habitat for the state-listed Northern harrier and short-eared owl. The conservation work was funded by the IDA through development of the Kalkberg and Greene business parks.

"I want the children from our local communities to be able to work in Greene County and appreciate the rural landscape as so many of our residents do," said IDA Executive Director, Sandy Mathes.

Philipstown, a riverfront town in the Hudson Highlands with large, healthy forests, was one of the first communities to work with the DEC Estuary Program in 2001. Since then, town representatives have received technical assistance and a grant from DEC and have trained on land use and natural area mapping. In 2006, the town adopted a comprehensive plan including a detailed section on natural areas that recognized their importance for clean water and scenic beauty. In early 2009, the Town Board adopted a Natural Resources Plan and Open Space Index. The plan identified Philipstown's most important habitat and lays the groundwork for protecting those resources for future generations.

In Hyde Park, a rapidly developing suburban community in the Mid Hudson Valley, town volunteers completed 10 months of training in October, and produced a 3,000-acre map of natural areas. With their data and additional information provided by DEC, the town is attempting to create Critical Environmental Areas (CEA). The town recently updated their zoning and is drafting a local wetlands law. "We hope the CEAs will raise awareness of valuable natural areas among developers and the public," said Mike Rubbo, member of the town's conservation advisory council. "This will help the planning board balance conservation and development."

The mission of DEC's Hudson River Estuary Program is to conserve the natural resources of the river and its watershed, promote full public use and enjoyment of the river and clean up the pollution that affects our ability to use and enjoy it. The publication of Conserving Natural Areas and Wildlife in Your Community, implements the Hudson River Estuary Action Agenda goal: to conserve plants and animals of the Hudson River Valley by partnering with municipalities to create and enhance local programs to conserve high quality wildlife habitat.

The book can be downloaded at http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/50083.html on the DEC website.

To learn more about biodiversity programs and assistance offered by the Hudson River Estuary Program, visit the DEC website or contact Karen Strong, Biodiversity Outreach Coordinator, by email at [email protected] or call 518-402-8878.

Meeting To Discuss Emissions From Lafarge Cement Plant In Light Of Recent Dec Report

http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=778414&category=REGION

Meeting to focus on plant pollution BOB GARDINIER SCHODACK — A Town Hall-style meeting for Rensselaer County residents will be held later this month regarding air quality issues at the Lafarge cement plant located across the Hudson River. County legislators announced the meeting will be from 7 to 9 p.m. March 24 at the Castleton Ambulance headquarters, at Brookview (Route 150) and Maple Hill roads in Schodack. The meeting comes as state and federal officials are working to reduce mercury emissions from such plants. The Lafarge plant on Route 9W in Albany County, with its 350-foot-tall smokestack, is the second-biggest emitter of mercury in the state, according to a report released earlier this month by the state Department of Environmental Conservation. It is located on the opposite side of the river from Schodack. The meeting is jointly sponsored by the county Environmental Management Council, which is an office of the County Legislature, and Lafarge. The company will review its voluntary emissions tests conducted in 2008 and update its efforts to modernize its facility in Ravena. Prevailing winds blow emissions from the plant across the Hudson River to southern Rensselaer County. "This is an important issue for residents in southern Rensselaer County, and we are glad to have the opportunity to provide an update for those interested," said Rensselaer County Legislator Martin Reid. In January, state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo and officials from eight other states reached an agreement with the federal Environmental Protection Agency that will mean tougher regulation of mercury emissions from cement plants nationwide, including Lafarge. The new federal regulations will apply to three New York cement plants: Lafarge, the St. Lawrence facility in Catskill, and the Lehigh Northeast plant in Glens Falls.

Estimated 550,000 Gallons Of Raw Sewage Released Into Hudson River From Nyack"s Orangetown Sewer System

http://lohud.com/article/20090307/NEWS03/903070388/-1/SPORTS

Nyack spill sends raw sewage into Hudson River

LAURA INCALCATERRA

NYACK - Half a million gallons of raw sewage spilled into the Hudson River yesterday after a sewer main burst.

The pipe broke about 5 a.m. and sent sewage into the river and onto a parking lot at 11 Burd St., Orangetown police said.

The pressurized pipe was between the river and the Orangetown Sewer Department's pump house near the corner of Spear and Burd streets.

The pipe transports sewage from the pump house to the town's treatment plant in Orangeburg, said Ron Delo, director of Orangetown's Environmental Management and Engineering Department.

The pipe broke just outside the pump house, and the sewage was transported into the river via an overflow pipe that empties into the Hudson, he said.

Orangetown Supervisor Thom Kleiner said the pump station was in the process of being upgraded.

"We were almost to the point of completion," Kleiner said. "While it's unfortunate, it's also a reminder of why this work is so important."

The town reported the spill to the Rockland County Health Department and the state Department of Environmental Conservation, said Thomas Micelli, the county's director of environmental health.

Neither agency issued a violation for the incident.

"This is an operational difficulty," Micelli said. "There is nothing they did wrong to cause it."

Micelli estimated that about 550,000 gallons of raw sewage spilled into the river and onto the parking lot during the incident, which lasted from 5 a.m. to 12:40 p.m.

The pump house treats about 1.2 million gallons per day, he said.

He said that in terms of the size of the spill, the "bulk amount is large."

"But we look at the effect as to how it impacts the receiving waters," Micelli said.

If the 550,000 gallons had spilled into a small stream, there could have been significant and lasting damage, he said, because there was less water to dilute the sewage.

Because the sewage ended up in the Hudson, it was more easily diluted, and as a result, "It's unlikely there will be any lasting damage," Micelli said.

He said the timing of the spill during colder weather also played a role, with the potential impacts to human health less threatening than during warmer weather when boaters and others were interacting with the Hudson.

Crews cleaned up the mess, including sanitizing the ground, Micelli said.

Delo said the pump house renovation was expected to be completed in about two months.

It includes new pumps, motors, controls and piping; will be more energy efficient; and have more capacity, he said.

Reach Laura Incalcaterra at [email protected] or 845-578-2486.

Drinking Water Filtration System Underway As Hudson River Dredging Date Approaches

http://www.troyrecord.com/articles/2009/02/25/news/doc49a4c943eecb5587159679.txt

Work begins on filtration of Stillwater drinking water

Danielle Sanzone

STILLWATER — Construction for a drinking water filtration system started today in preparation for the Hudson River dredging slated to begin at the end of May, said officials from the Environmental Protection Agency.

An informational session on the $700 million dredging project will take place tonight at the Stillwater Central School Auditorium from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m.

With concerns from residents regarding drinking water quality, EPA officials anticipate answering a lot of questions regarding the new filtration system and water testing, said spokeswoman Kristen Skopeck.

“We are hoping that we can alleviate any concerns by giving residents more information on the project,” she continued. “We are very close to the dredging beginning and we want people to understand the process.”

The filtration system will eliminate at least 99 percent of PCBs from the Hudson River water which is used by the town and the village for their drinking water. The system should be operational before dredging begins in May, though officials could not give an exact starting date for dredging since it will depend on the river flow. Once the system is done, it will continue to filter the water throughout the project, said Skopeck.

This varies slightly from the situation in Waterford and Halfmoon, another two communities which draw water from the river. The EPA and General Electric agreed to pay for the construction of an $8 million pipe connecting to Troy in case they need another water source but they will not pay for the municipalities to purchase the Tomhannock reservoir water throughout the project.

It will cost approximately $600,000 each year to purchase drinking water from the City of Troy. The EPA and GE have agreed to pay the difference of the water cost only if the PCB count exceeds the legal amount at the Fort Edward site or if the water cannot be monitored in a safe and timely manner, officials said.

“If it is good, clean, safe water, we cannot legally pay for it,” said EPA spokesman David King.

About 30,000 residents in Waterford, Halfmoon, and the Mechanicville City School District utilize this water.

“I have battled the EPA for four years to get to this point,” said Waterford Town Supervisor Jack Lawler at a previous dredging meeting. “It has not been easy. I am not willing to take the risk of PCBs affecting my family and my community. I find it morally offensive that the EPA thinks it would be safe for us to drink that water.”

“The filtration system is a temporary fix until we find something else,” said Skopeck. “We want to make sure they have water meeting drinking water standards.”

Once the project begins, dredging will be 24 hours each day for six days a week, officials said.

PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyl, an oily substance that was a popular hydraulic fluid decades ago, can enter a person through the air, by being absorbed by the skin, or through consumption in food or drinks. Small amounts of the substance are found in types of butter, eggs, milk and even in Big Macs, said David Carpenter, a former dean of public health at the University at Albany and a current member of the Institute for Health and the Environment.

“Any level of PCBs is an unsafe level,” he said citing risks of cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, developmental abnormalities, and immune suppression.

Officials in Stillwater have asked for another source of drinking water during dredging and officials in the EPA are looking into that.

The Department of Health and the Department of Environmental Conservation will also be monitoring the project. Representatives from those agencies will also attend tonight’s meeting.

Until banned in the 1970s, PCBs were dumped in the Hudson River by GE starting in 1948. The GE sites at Fort Edward and Hudson Falls both utilized it and dumped approximately 1.3 million pounds of PCBs.

Danielle Sanzone may be reached at 270-1292 or by email at[email protected].