EPA won’t compel GE to restart Hudson River dredging

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency has declined to compel General Electric to restart dredging in the Hudson River, despite calls from New York officials and environmentalists.

EPA Regional Administrator Peter Lopez said Thursday more time and testing are needed to fully assess GE’s $1.7 billion Hudson River cleanup. The federal agency issued a certificate to Boston-based GE that it completed its remedial action under the Superfund cleanup.

But Lopez said the certificate does not leave Boston-based GE “off the hook” for more work if the EPA later concludes additional cleanup is needed.

Critics had urged the EPA to withhold the certificate, saying river PCB levels remain too high.

GE completed removal of 2.75 million cubic yards (2.1 million cubic meters) of PCB-contaminated river sediment north of Albany in 2015.