Jay Burgess
Director of Communications, Scenic Hudson, Inc.
Tel: (845) 473-4440 x222 Cell: (914) 489-0362 Fax: (845) 473-0740
jburgess@scenichudson.org
Public encouraged to learn, connect and act at evening meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 22, in Mechanicville
CAPITAL REGION, N.Y.—People deserve their Hudson River back. A special event on the evening of Tuesday, Aug. 22, in Mechanicville creates the perfect opportunity for citizens and businesses to let the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) know it is the public’s right to have a healthy Hudson River. Attendees will learn about the significant amount of General Electric’s toxic pollution the EPA thinks is okay to leave in the river to continue harming people, wildlife and local economies. The event also offers a chance to connect with other concerned citizens, and there will be help for people to write and submit comments to the EPA—which is accepting public comments on its Five-Year Review report until Friday, Sept. 1.
The event will be hosted by environmental groups Riverkeeper and Scenic Hudson along with the Chamber of Southern Saratoga County and held on Tuesday, Aug. 22, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Arts Center on the Hudson, 2 South Main St., Mechanicville.
Two to four times more PCBs remain in the cleanup area than the EPA expected. The EPA wants the public to believe that walking away from these dangerous chemicals is a good enough fix. Leading state and federal scientists say it is not. Stopping the cleanup means the poisonous chemicals will continue to pollute the air and water, infect wildlife and damage local businesses that depend on the river.
People are clearly upset about the state of the cleanup and want a proper fix. In the height of summer people turned out strong for EPA meetings in Saratoga and Poughkeepsie. People who could not attend the meeting in Saratoga can attend the upcoming Mechanicville gathering and take advantage of the opportunity to pressure the EPA before it makes its final decision.
“Concerns over PCBs in the Hudson have destroyed a once-vibrant commercial fishing industry, hampered operations of marinas, minimized transport on the Champlain Canal and prevented economic development throughout river communities,” said Chamber of Southern Saratoga County President/CEO Pete Bardunias. “We must bring stakeholders together immediately to create environmentally and economically sustainable local economies, and now is the time to voice our concerns to EPA.”
About Scenic Hudson
Scenic Hudson preserves land and farms and creates parks that connect people with the inspirational power of the Hudson River, while fighting threats to the river and natural resources that are the foundation of the valley’s prosperity. A crusader for the valley since 1963, we are credited with saving fabled Storm King Mountain from a destructive industrial project and launching the modern grass-roots environmental movement. Today with more than 25,000 ardent supporters, we are the largest environmental group focused on the Hudson River Valley. Our team of experts combines land acquisition, support for agriculture, citizen-based advocacy and sophisticated planning tools to create environmentally healthy communities, champion smart economic growth, open up riverfronts to the public and preserve the valley’s inspiring beauty and natural resources. To date Scenic Hudson has created or enhanced more than 65 parks, preserves and historic sites up and down the Hudson River and conserved more than 40,000 acres. www.scenichudson.org
