Pollution of the Hudson River

Ongoing environmental disaster in the United States of America

The Hudson River from the Poughkeepsie Bridge

Like many large rivers that course through urban centers, the Hudson River is subject to extensive pollution. Contributors include large chemical plants, agricultural sources, as well as domestic discharges.[1] A particular problem arises from the discharge of polychlorinated biphenyls from General Electric facilities. Other kinds of pollution include mercury and untreated sewage.[2] The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) has listed various portions of the Hudson as having impaired water quality due to PCBs, cadmium, and other toxic compounds. Other ongoing pollution problems affecting the river include: accidental sewage discharges, urban runoff, heavy metals, furans, dioxins, pesticides, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).[3]

## Geographic scope

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In addition to the main stem of the Hudson River, tributaries with impaired water quality (not necessarily the same pollutants as the main stem) are Mohawk River, Dwaas Kill, Schuyler Creek, Saw Mill River, Esopus Creek, Hoosic River, Quaker Creek, and Batten Kill. Many lakes in the Hudson drainage basin are also listed as impaired.[4]

## Types of pollution

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### PCBs

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Numerous chemical factories that once lined the Hudson River produced PCBs as dielectric and coolant fluids for transformers, capacitors, and electric motors. Between 1947 and 1977, General Electric discharged large amounts of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) into the Hudson. The federal government designated the contaminated portion of the river, 200 miles (320 km) long, as a Superfund site in 1984.[5] This pollution was not comprehensively assessed until the 1970s. By that time, the largest remaining factories in the area were owned by General Electric, which became primarily responsible for cleaning the Hudson River. Between approximately 1947 and 1977, GE released 1,300,000 pounds (590,000 kg) of PCBs into the river. The PCBs came from the company's two capacitor manufacturing plants at Hudson Falls and Fort Edward, New York.[2] The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) banned the manufacture of PCBs in 1979.[6] The bulk of the PCBs in the river were manufactured by Monsanto Co. under the brand names Aroclor 1242 and Aroclor 1016.[7] The highest concentration of PCBs is found in the Thompson Island Pool.[8][9]

### Other pollutants

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#### Lead chromate

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General Motors, which operated the North Tarrytown Assembly in North Tarrytown, New York, released lead chromate and other painting, cleaning, and soldering chemicals into the river. Domestic waste would be processed through the village's sewage treatment plant. Around 1971, the village's Sewer and Water Superintendent assured that the pollution reports were exaggerated, and that he and other residents would swim by a beach nearby, however Dominick Pirone, an ecologist and former director of the Hudson River Fishermen's Association (now Riverkeeper) was quoted as saying: "You can tell what color cars they are painting on a given day by what color the river is."[10]

#### Microorganics

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The Hudson carries many "micro-organics", which means pharmaceuticals and pesticides. Prominent in the Hudson are gabapentin, metolachlor, and sucralose.[11]

#### Zebrafish mussels

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In 1991, zebra mussels, an invasive species, first appeared in the Hudson River, causing the near-disappearance of native pearly mussels.[12]

## Effects

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### Fish

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In 1976 NYSDEC banned all fishing in the Upper Hudson because of health concerns with PCBs. It also issued advisories restricting the consumption of fish caught within a 20-mile (30 km) long segment of the Hudson River from Hudson Falls to Troy.[2][13][14]

Fish advisories issued by the New York State Department of Health (DOH) remain in effect as of late 2022. DOH recommends eating no fish caught from the South Glens Falls Dam to the Federal Dam at Troy. Women over 50 and children under 15 are not advised to eat any fish caught south of the Palmer Falls Dam in Corinth, while others are advised to eat anywhere from one to four meals per month of Hudson River fish, depending on species and location caught. The Department of Health cites mercury, PCBs, dioxin, and cadmium as the chemicals impacting fish in these areas.[14][15]

### PCBs

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Main article: Polychlorinated biphenyl § Health effects

PCBs are thought to be responsible for health concerns that include neurological disorders, lower IQ and poor short-term memory (active memory), hormonal disruption, suppressed immune system, cancer, skin irritations, Parkinson's disease, ADHD, heart disease, and diabetes. PCB contamination in humans may come from drinking the contaminated water, absorption through the skin, eating contaminated aquatic life, and/or inhaling volatilized PCBs. PCB contamination is especially dangerous for pregnant and nursing women. The contamination can reach the fetus and potentially cause birth defects. Contamination through breast milk can also have harmful effects on the child indirectly.[16]

## Cleanup

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Extensive remediation actions on the river began in the 1970s with the implementation of wastewater discharge permits and consequent reduction of wastewater discharges, and sediment removal operations, which have continued into the 21st century.[5]

In 1972 Congress passed the Clean Water Act and established a nationwide discharge permit system for all surface waters.[17] All Hudson River point source dischargers were required to obtain permits issued by NYSDEC.[18] The restrictions in these permits led to an overall reduction in pollutant loadings to the river, as factories, power plants and municipalities installed or improved their wastewater treatment systems or made other plant modifications to reduce pollution. Among the prominent sewage plant upgrades was the completion of the North River Wastewater Treatment Plant in Manhattan, where 150 million gallons per day of untreated sewage was discharged to the river until the plant opened in 1986.[19] However, persistent pollutants such as PCBs and heavy metals, that had been discharged prior to implementation of the new permit requirements, remained in the sediments of the river.[2]

### Sediment dredging

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One of the most dramatic and controversial steps in remediation of the Hudson has focused on the physical removal of the contaminated sludges. In addition to being expensive, dredging can induce resuspension of PCBs.[20]

Among the initial attempts to clean up the upper Hudson River was the removal in 1977–78 of 180,000 cubic yards (140,000 m3) of contaminated river sediments near Fort Edward.[21] In 1984, EPA declared a 200-mile (320 km) stretch of the river, from Hudson Falls to New York City, to be a Superfund site requiring cleanup. This hazardous waste site is considered to be one of the largest in the nation. Many programs aim to reduce the PCB pollution.[2] In 1991, further PCB pollution was found at Bakers Falls, near the former GE Hudson Falls factory, and a program of remediation was started. In August 1995, a 40-mile (64 km) reach of the upper Hudson was reopened to fishing, but only on a catch-and-release basis.[8] Removal of contaminated soil from Rogers Island was completed in December 1999.[22]

GE dredging operation in 2012

In 2001, after a ten-year study of PCB contamination in the Hudson River, EPA proposed a plan to clean up the river by dredging more than 100,000 pounds (45,000 kg) of PCBs. The worst PCB hotspots are targeted for remediation by removing and disposing of more than 2.6 million cubic yards of contaminated sediment. The dredging project is the most aggressive environmental effort ever proposed to clean up a river, and will cost GE about $460,000,000. General Electric took the position that dredging the river would actually stir up PCBs.[23] In 2002, EPA ordered GE to clean up a 40-mile (64 km) stretch of the Hudson River it had contaminated.[24] EPA also announced that an additional 2,650,000 cubic yards (2,030,000 m3) of contaminated sediments in the upper Hudson River would be removed.[5]

GE began sediment dredging operations to clean up the PCBs on May 15, 2009.[5][25] This stage (Phase One) of the cleanup was completed in October 2009, and was responsible for the removal of approximately 300,000 cubic yards (230,000 m3) of contaminated sediment, which was more than the targeted amount. Over 620 barges filled with sediment were transported to the processing facility on the Champlain Canal, and over 80 rail cars transported the dredged sediment to a waste facility in Andrews, Texas.[26] The scope of Phase One was about 100,000 cubic yards (76,000 m3) more than planned, and Phase Two was to be expanded as a consequence. Phase Two of the cleanup project, led by GE and monitored by EPA, began in June 2011, targeting approximately 2,400,000 cubic yards (1,800,000 m3) of PCB-contaminated sediment from a forty-mile section of the Upper Hudson River. Phase Two of the cleanup will take approximately 5 to 7 years to complete.[27] In 2010, General Electric agreed to finance and conduct a second dredging campaign at the Upper Hudson River between Fort Edward and Troy. These works have been supervised by EPA.[5]

### Activism

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Although the cleanup has been slow, environmental advocacy groups have reached out to the general public on the condition of the river's pollution. Scenic Hudson, Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Hudson Riverkeeper, and the Natural Resources Defense Council have continued to push for more action from General Electric.[28][29] After Pete Seeger's death in 2014, EPA Regional Administrator Judith A. Enck praised the "incredible work" of Seeger and the Clearwater organization.[30]

The actions of local citizen organizations led to the creation of Riverkeeper, a non-profit environmental organization that grew into a global umbrella organization, the Waterkeeper Alliance.[31] The Hudson River Sloop Clearwater is another environmental education organization dedicated to the health of the Hudson River.

## Water quality improvement

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A 2020 report on the health of the Hudson River states that "Water quality in the Hudson River Estuary has improved dramatically since 1972 and has remained largely stable in recent years." Ecological health trends, such as in tributaries and wetlands, are varied in condition.[32][33]

### Mercury

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A 2008 study suggested that mercury in common Hudson River fish, including striped bass, yellow perch, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and carp, declined strongly over the preceding three decades. The conclusions were extracted from a large database of mercury analyses of fish fillets accumulated by NYSDEC and collected over much of the length of the Hudson, from New York City waters to the Adirondack watershed. Trends were in line with the recovery that the Hudson River experienced over the preceding few decades, in response to the efforts of activist groups, government officials and industry by cooperating to help clean up the river system.[34]

### Closure of power plants

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In 1980, Consolidated Edison (Con Ed) agreed to drop its 17-year fight to build a pumped-storage hydroelectricity facility on Storm King Mountain, after a legal challenge by the non-profit environmental organization Scenic Hudson.[35]

The Indian Point Nuclear Plant, which had been very destructive to aquatic life,[36][37][38] permanently ceased operations on April 30, 2021.[39]

## References

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1. ^ Stephen P. Stanne, Roger G. Panetta, Brian E. Forist, Maija Liisa Niemisto (2021). The Hudson: An Illustrated Guide to the Living River (Third ed.). Rutgers University Press. ISBN 13978-1978814059. `{{cite book}}`: Check `|isbn=` value: length (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
2. ^ a b c d e "Hudson River Cleanup". Hudson River PCBs Superfund Site. New York, NY: US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 2020-08-25.
3. ^ "Hudson River Estuary Program: Cleaning the river; Improving water quality" (PDF). NYSDEC. 2007. p. 24\. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-02-27. Retrieved 2007-12-31.
4. ^ Final New York State 2008 Section 303(d) List of Impaired Waters Requiring a TMDL/Other Strategy (PDF) (Report). Albany, NY: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). May 26, 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 26, 2010.
5. ^ a b c d e "Frequently Asked Questions". Hudson River PCBs Superfund Site. EPA. 2020-06-23.
6. ^ "Learn about Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)". Washington, D.C.: EPA. 2016.
7. ^ Schmidt, Charles W. (December 2001). "Of PCBs and the river". Chemical Innovation. 31 (12): 48.
8. ^ a b "Data Evaluation and Interpretation Report; Executive Summary". Hudson River PCBs. EPA. 1997-02-13.
9. ^ Bucher, JB (June 2004). "PCB loading from sediment in the Hudson River: Congener signature analysis of pathways". Environ Sci Technol. 38 (12): 3232–3238\. Bibcode:2004EnST...38.3232B. doi:10.1021/es035453t. PMID 15260318.
10. ^ Greenhouse, Linda (January 12, 1971). "Pollution Accusations Against G.M. Dismay North Tarrytown". The New York Times. Retrieved September 26, 2017.
11. ^ Carpenter, Corey M. G.; Helbling, Damian E. (2018). "Widespread Micropollutant Monitoring in the Hudson River Estuary Reveals Spatiotemporal Micropollutant Clusters and Their Sources". Environmental Science & Technology. 52 (11): 6187–6196\. Bibcode:2018EnST...52.6187C. doi:10.1021/acs.est.8b00945. PMID 29742349.
12. ^ "Zebra Mussels and the Hudson River". Science Program: Research Projects. Millbrook, NY: Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies. Retrieved 2017-01-02.
13. ^ "Hudson River Virtual Tour — Chapter 9: PCB Pollution in the Hudson". NYSDEC. Retrieved 2007-12-31.
14. ^ a b "Hudson River & Tributaries Region Fish Advisories". New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH). April 2022. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
15. ^ "Hudson River: Health Advice on Eating Fish You Catch" (PDF). NYSDOH. January 2018. Brochure.
16. ^ "Health Effects of PCBs". Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs). EPA. 2021-05-13.
17. ^ "National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)". EPA. 2022-09-30.
18. ^ "State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) Permit Program". Permits, Licenses, and Registrations. NYSDEC. Retrieved 2022-12-21.
19. ^ "How is the Hudson Doing?". Hudson River Estuary Program. NYSDEC. Archived from the original on 2021-05-13.
20. ^ Schneider, Abby R.; Porter, Elka T.; Baker, Joel E. (2007). "Polychlorinated Biphenyl Release from Resuspended Hudson River Sediment". Environmental Science & Technology. 41 (4): 1097–1103\. Bibcode:2007EnST...41.1097S. doi:10.1021/es0607584. hdl:11603/3938. PMID 17593705.
21. ^ Hudson River PCBs: Cleanup Approach (PDF) (Report). EPA. 2010-11-17. Fact sheet.
22. ^ "Rogers Island Removal Action". Hudson River PCBs. EPA. 2016-02-22.
23. ^ "Historic Hudson River Cleanup to Begin After Years of Delay, But Will General Electric Finish the Job?". Environmental Issues: Water. New York, NY: Natural Resources Defense Council. 2007-03-23. Archived from the original on 2012-04-27.
24. ^ DePalma, Anthony (2007-05-01). "Old Questions Linger as New PCB Cleanup Starts". The New York Times.
25. ^ "Hudson River PCB Dredging Project". General Electric. Retrieved 2009-10-22.
26. ^ Skopeck, Kristen (2009-07-17). "What Is Happening With The Sediment Being Dredged From The Hudson River?". Greenversations (EPA blog). New York, NY: EPA. Archived from the original on 2009-07-18.
27. ^ "Hudson Dredging Data". General Electric. Retrieved 2011-10-18.
28. ^ Revkin, Andrew (15 May 2009). "Dredging of Pollutants Begins in Hudson". The New York Times.
29. ^ Dyer, Johanna (18 January 2013). "New Hudson River PCB Contamination Report Confirms Need for Thorough Cleanup". Natural Resources Defense Council.
30. ^ Harrington, Gerry (2014-01-31). "Movement afoot to name bridge after Pete Seeger". United Press International.
31. ^ Cronin, John; Kennedy, Robert; Gore, Al (1999). The Riverkeepers: Two Activists Fight to Reclaim Our Environment as a Basic Human Right. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-0-684-84625-5.
32. ^ Hudson River Estuary Program; NY-NJ Harbor & Estuary Program; NEIWPCC (October 2020). The State of the Hudson 2020 (PDF) (Report). NYSDEC. p. 5.
33. ^ "Hudson River Estuary Watershed; Is the Hudson Getting Cleaner?". NYSDEC. Retrieved 2022-12-21.
34. ^ Levinton, J.S.; Ochron, S.T.P. (2008). "Temporal and geographic trends in mercury concentrations in muscle tissue in five species of hudson river, USA, fish". Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. 27 (8): 1691–1697\. Bibcode:2008EnvTC..27.1691L. doi:10.1897/07-438.1. PMID 18266478. S2CID 86320742.
35. ^ Marist College, Poughkeepsie, NY. "The Scenic Hudson Decision." Marist Environmental History Project. Accessed 2010-10-05.
36. ^ Wald, Matthew L. (2010-08-23). "Nuclear Plant's Use of River Water Prompts $1.1 Billion Debate With State". The New York Times.
37. ^ McGeehan, Patrick (2017-01-09). "Cuomo Confirms Deal to Close Indian Point Nuclear Plant". The New York Times.
38. ^ "Indian Point, closest nuclear plant to New York City, set to retire by 2021". Today in Energy. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Energy Information Administration. 2017-02-01.
39. ^ McGeehan, Patrick (2021-04-30). "This Is the End of Nuclear Energy in New York". The New York Times.

## External links

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* Hudson River PCBs Superfund Site \- EPA