Review: Upper Hudson dredging should expand

ALBANY -- A new federal review of the PCB cleanup of the upper Hudson River provides more evidence that the dredging area should be expanded, environmental groups said yesterday.

The Environmental Protection Agency issued a review this week of the continuing Superfund cleanup that called the dredging successful. General Electric Co., which released polychlorinated biphenyls into the river decades ago, is overseeing a third season of dredging north of Albany.

A coalition of environmentalists said the EPA review also acknowledges that PCBs in one stretch of the river will be reduced about half as much as originally expected because some spots with high PCB levels are outside the dredging zone.

The EPA said additional dredging would clean up the river faster, but it noted that other state and federal agencies have the authority to address the issue.

The environmental coalition argued that it makes more sense to do the work now.

"Decisions about how to address these higher levels of contamination need to be addressed now, as part of this cleanup," said attorney Lawrence Levine of the Natural Resources Defense Council.

The council made the criticism along with environmental groups Clearwater, Riverkeeper and Scenic Hudson. -- AP