Housatonic River Cleanup
Pittsfield, MA
Environmental Stewardship Concepts served as technical advisor for this site, which is downriver from a GE plant that polluted the river with PCBs for many years. The full extent of the site covered portions of the river spanning from Pittsfield, MA to the Long Island Sound.
The cleanup was carried out under RCRA consent decree. While the majority of contamination was PCB related, other problematic chemicals have also been found to be present. This site posed direct and indirect risks to both human and ecological health.
On May 7th, 2011, a variety of participants, including concerned citizens, local government officials, planners, and environmental advocates, discussed potential Housatonic River remediation options at EPA’s Public Charrette. The Charrette included a series of hands-on workshops on the topic.
A Proposed Plan is scheduled for release this summer. Following an evaluation from the National Remedy Review Board, a recommended decision will be released for public comment.
Resources
Read this articlefor a recap of the Public Charrette conversation
To learn more about the Housatonic River Initiative, click here…
ESC Documents
ESC presentation on Housatonic River Human Health Risk Assessment
Peter’s April 5 2012 presentation on PCBs