EPA Superfund Program Director Discusses Housatonic Cleanup Plan Before Public Hearing

WAMC Northeast Public Radio | By Josh Landes

Published August 6, 2020 at 12:00 PM EDT

A wide river is flanked by banks covered in grass and trees — The Housatonic River, as seen from Bridge Street in Great Barrington, Massachusetts.

In February, the EPA announced a major new cleanup plan for the Housatonic River – Berkshire County’s main waterway, which was polluted by General Electric at a Pittsfield, Massachusetts plant in the mid-1900s. The deal was mediated between the corporation and communities along the river. It calls for a 13 -year, over $500 million effort to remove toxic waste from the Housatonic. The plan is open for public comment until August 28^th, with a virtual public hearing set for August 26^th. WAMC spoke with Director of the EPA Superfund Program for New England Bryan OIson about the project as proposed.