Studying the Floodplains and Shorelines  

Upper Hudson

GE is working closely with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on a long-term remedial strategy for the Hudson River floodplains. The work spans 43 miles of river and includes land along both shores from the Bakers Falls area of Hudson Falls to Troy. GE is collecting the data necessary for EPA to evaluate whether PCBs in areas prone to flooding are present at levels that pose potential risks to human health and the environment.

The studies GE is performing are embodied in a voluntary agreement between GE and EPA. The work includes a significant data collection effort, development of human health and ecological risk assessments and an evaluation of potential cleanup activities. Based on the results, EPA, the Agency tasked with supervising GE’s work, will issue a cleanup plan in a Record of Decision.

These activities build upon the substantial evaluations already conducted along the river’s banks. Since 2008, GE has collected more than 8,000 soil samples from areas that may flood during high-water events such as spring runoff. Approximately 83% of those samples showed no PCBs or very low levels.