eastern shore of the Hudson River.1973: Ft. Edward Dam removed from upper Hudson River, causing large amounts of PCBs to flow into the lower Hudson.1974: An EPA study shows high levels of PCBs in Hudson River fish.1976: Congress passes the Toxic Substance Control Act banning the manufacture of PCBs and prohibiting all uses except in totally enclosed systems.2/76: Department for Environmental Conservation (DEC) makes it illegal to fish in the upper Hudson from the FT. Edward Dam to the federal dam at Albany, closes Hudson River commercial fisheries, and warns people about the dangers of eating Hudson River fish.2/76: Administrative hearing finds that the PCB pollution was GE’s fault.4/76: The worst flood in 100 years causes large amounts of polluted sediments to flow down river.9/76: GE stops dumping PCBs into the Hudson River from its Hudson Falls and Ft. Edward plants. GE agrees to spend one million dollars on PCB research and three million dollars to monitor the PCBs in the river, and in return will not be blamed for the pollution by the state.5/77: EPA makes it illegal to discharge any PCBs into navigable waters under the clean Water Act.9/83: EPA releases updated Superfund National Priority List, which includes the upper Hudson River.1984: EPA studies PCB problem: issues a Record of Decision (ROD) calling for NO ACTION.9/91: Water test in the upper Hudson shows unusually high levels of PCBs (4,539 parts per trillion).8/92: A test of sediment near an old discharge pipe from the Hudson Falls shows high levels of PCBs.2/93: DEC releases 1992 fish sampling data showing that PCB levels in Upper Hudson fish increased 300% between 1991 and 1992.5/93: GE says that PCBs have probably been leaking from the ground at it’s Hudson Falls plant since the early 1980’s.6/93: Seven GE capacitors filled with PCBs are found in the Hudson River next to the Hudson Falls plant. The capacitors are removed from the river.7...
