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EPA Proposes Plan for Continued Community Involvement in the Design and Cleanup of the Hudson River

Release Date: 04/24/2003
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(#03042) New York, N.Y. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today released for public review and comment a proposed Community Involvement Plan (CIP) for the Hudson River PCBs Superfund Site. The proposed plan builds on ongoing efforts to provide opportunities for meaningful public input on the implementation of EPA’s cleanup plan for the Hudson River. The plan proposes that a Community Advisory Group, or CAG, be formed to create a forum through which members of community and stakeholder groups along the entire river can discuss their viewpoints as design and cleanup work progresses at the site. The CIP identifies key interest groups along the Hudson River and the elected officials, agencies and community organizations representing those interests that would nominate members of the CAG. EPA expects to have a formal CAG in place within several months following the close of the public comment period on May 28. To facilitate interaction with community and stakeholder groups in the near-term, the Agency will convene an interim advisory group made up of representatives of the key interest groups identified in the proposed CIP. Consistent with the plan, EPA will immediately ask the identified individuals and organizations to nominate members of the interim group. “EPA continues to listen carefully to community requests for accurate, timely and understandable information, and the opportunity to provide input as we move forward to clean up the river,” said EPA Regional Administrator Jane M. Kenny. “It is clear that we all share a common goal – a healthy and beneficial river. This proposed plan provides a road map to ensure that the public is involved in the project in a meaningful and constructive way.” Proposed Community Involvement Plan Fact Sheet The proposed CIP is designed to meet the following goals: Provide the public with accurate, timely, and understandable information and access to information needed to understand the project as it moves forward; Provide the public with the opportunity to give informed and meaningful input; Ensure adequate time and opportunity for the public to provide input and for that input to be considered; Respect and give full consideration to community input; and Assist the public in understanding the project decision making process during project design and cleanup and the community’s role in that process. EPA is committed to involving the public in planning activities relating to the implementation of the dredging project, especially those activities and decisions that have potential impacts on local communities. In developing this proposed Community Involvement Plan, EPA made an extensive effort to gather public input and drew upon many information sources, including public comments received in the past and numerous and detailed community interviews, meetings and site files. Since EPA finalized a cleanup plan to dredge contaminated sediments from portions of the Upper Hudson River, the Agency has been proactive in conducting community outreach and in involving community members in the decision-making process. EPA has already established a field office in Ft. Edward; activated the EPA-Hudson listserv (a free, subscription-based electronic news distribution system); distributed numerous project progress reports via the Internet, the listserv, fax, and postal service mailings; hosted multiple public availability sessions, and attended many stakeholder meetings. Once finalized, the Community Involvement Plan will serve as the foundation for future community involvement for the Hudson River PCBs Superfund Site. It identifies 35 community involvement tools and activities that can be used to address community concerns. Together they serve as a toolkit for EPA’s public participation program at the site and provide the public with myriad opportunities for involvement in the project. The proposed CIP provides detailed descriptions of the public outreach tools and identifies how they will be used to address community concerns and promote public involvement in the project. The CIP also contains a glossary, references and a series of appendices designed to serve as a resource for both EPA and the community. Specific sections include EPA and project team, local government, and media contacts, and directions on how to obtain additional Superfund and EPA information. The proposed CIP is available electronically and in print. Electronic versions can be found on the EPA project Web site at www.epa.gov/hudson and on CD-ROM, which can be obtained by calling the Hudson River Field Office. Print versions of the proposed CIP are also available for review at the site information repositories located in Glens Falls, Ft. Edward (Hudson River Field Office), Saratoga Springs, Albany, Poughkeepsie, and New York City. The formal comment period for the proposed Community Involvement Plan begins April 28 and ends May 28. EPA will host two public forums to discuss the proposed CIP. The forums will be held in Ft. Edward, NY on Wednesday, May 7 at the Ft. Edward Fire House (116 Broadway, Ft. Edward) from 2:00 - 4:00 PM and from 6:00 - 8:00 PM, and again in Poughkeepsie on Thursday, May 8 at the Poughkeepsie Best Western Inn & Conference Center (2170 South Road, Rte 9, Poughkeepsie) from 2:00 - 4:00 PM and from 6:00 - 8:00 PM. For more information, log on to https://www.epa.gov/hudson, visit, call or write to the Hudson River Field Office at: Hudson River Field Office Leo Rosales, Community Involvement Coordinator 421 Lower Main Street Hudson Falls, NY 12839 (518) 747-4389 (866) 615-6490 Toll-Free