Hudson River Natural Resource Damage Assessment

General Electric's Hudson Falls Plant and Bakers Falls on the Hudson River. EPA Photo.

This case addresses natural resource injuries that have occurred due to the release of hazardous substances, particularly polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), to the Hudson River, primarily from General Electric's Hudson Falls and Fort Edward, New York manufacturing plants.

Recent Publications:

• Mink Injury Determination: Draft Study Plan and Fact Sheet for Investigation of Mink Abundance and Density Relative to Polychlorinated Biphenyl Contamination within the Hudson River Drainage

• Fact Sheet: Hudson River Restoration Planning (March 2012). Restoration is the goal of NRDA. It is an active component of damage assessment that can be seen and felt for generations. The Trustees encourage the public’s continued participation in this process.

• The Trustees' Restoration Proposal Form (The form is also available in Word format) has been updated with new contact information for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

• Injury determination work on birds, mink, and fish supported by the Hudson River Natural Resource Trustees was presented by the Trustees’ Principal Investigators at the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry meeting, November 13-17, 2011, in Boston, Massachusetts. The posters and platforms presented were:

Birds:

• Effects of an Environmentally Relevant PCB Mixture on Embryonic Heart Development in Gallus domesticus (Domestic Chicken)
• PCB concentrations in tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) eggs collected from the Upper Hudson River varies within a season and between years
• Differential Expression of Liver Regulatory Genes with Embryonic PCB Exposure

Mink:

• Dietary Exposure of Mink (Mustela vison) to Fish from the Upper Hudson River, New York, USA: Effects on Reproduction, Offspring Growth and Mortality
• Dietary Exposure of Mink (Mustela vison) to Fish from the Upper Hudson River, New York, USA: Organ Mass and Pathology

Fish:

• Vulnerabilities of Atlantic Sturgeon and Shortnose Sturgeon to PCB 126 and TCDD Induced Early Life-Stage Toxicities

Funding or other support for these projects was provided by the Hudson River Natural Resource Trustees as part of the ongoing Hudson River Natural Resource Damage Assessment. Please note that the conclusions and opinions presented in these presentations are those of the authors, they do not represent the official position of any of the funding agencies, the Hudson River Trustees or the United States.

• Organochlorine Contaminants in Tree Swallow Nestlings and in Adipose Tissue from Great Blue Heron Nestlings (contains USGS report FY-00-31-05 dated November 30, 2000; corrected June 2011)

• Congener-Specific Analysis of Polychlorinated Biphenyl Residues in Tree Swallow Chicks, Eggs and Other Biota from the Hudson River (contains USGS report FY-97-30-01 dated November 25, 1996)

• Preparation of Individual and Custom PCB Mixture Dosing Solutions for Avian Egg Injection Studies Associated with Injury Determinations under the Hudson River NRDA. (August 2011)

• Federal Trustees' NRDA pre-meeting presentation to the Hudson River PCBs Superfund Site Community Advisory Group on June 30, 2011: These presentations provide analyses and recommendations of the Federal Trustees to General Electric on improvements to the Phase 2 Remedial Design that could be implemented to reduce ongoing and remedial injury to natural resources and accelerate recovery of the river. The presentations are: 1. "UnremediatedPCBS in the Hudson River: Implications for Recovery and Restoration"; and, 2. "Habitat Replacement and Reconstruction and the Implications for Restoration."

• Federal Trustee Letter (dated 6/21/2011) to General Electric on Phase 2 Design for Hudson River Dredging. The Federal Natural Resource Trustees urge General Electric to maximize the benefits of the habitat reconstruction component of the remedial design, incorporate primary restoration into the remedy, and strengthen the adaptive management and monitoring program to increase the likelihood of successful recovery. This can be achieved by modifying the final design to be more sensitive to the environment, more consistent with restoration principles, and more directed at maximizing restoration of the habitats harmed by the remedy and by residual PCBs.

Additional Reports and Documents

Hudson River NRDA ListServe

The Hudson River Natural Resource Trustees -- the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and the U.S. Department of the Interior -- have established a listserve to provide updates on the ongoing natural resource damage assessment and restoration efforts for the Hudson River. The public is invited to join the listserve for periodic updates on this effort.

To join the Hudson-NRDA listserv:
1. Send a message to: requests@willamette.nos.noaa.gov
2. Write in the subject: Subscribe hudsonnrda
3. You will receive a confirmation e-mail to which you MUST reply within 24 hours.

Natural Resource Damage Assessment Reports and Determinations

Reports and other documents were prepared by the Hudson River Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) Natural Resource Trustees, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Department of the Interior). Please direct any questions or comments related to the Hudson River NRDA:

Kathryn Jahn, FWS, Ecological Services, New York Field Office, 607-753-9334, kathryn_jahn@fws.gov

Robin Heubel, FWS Region 5 NRDA Coordinator, 413-253-8630, robin_heubel@fws.gov

Additional Reports and Documents:

1. Preassessment Phase

   Hudson River Preassessment Screen

2. Assessment Planning and Injury Assessment
1. Assessment Planning

Analytical Quality Assurance Plan, Version 2.0, for the Hudson River NRDA September 2005 (pdf).

Responsiveness Summary for the Hudson River Natural Resource Damage Assessment Plan, July 2003 (pdf)

Analytical Quality Assurance Plan - Version 1.0 (pdf)

Fact Sheet: Hudson River NRDA Update - Spring 2003 (pdf)

Public Availability Sessions on NRDA Plan, October 2002 (pdf)

Press Release: TRUSTEES RELEASE PLAN TO ASSESS HUDSON RIVER RESOURCE INJURIES, Sept. 17, 2002 (pdf)

Hudson River Natural Resource Damage Assessment Plan, Sept. 2002 (2MB pdf)

Fact Sheet: Summary of the Damage Assessment Plan (pdf)

Executive Summary Natural Resource Damage Assessment Plan

Response to Public Comments on the Draft Scope for the Hudson River Natural Resource Damages Assessment Plan. June 1999.

Hudson River Natural Resource Damage Assessment: Notice of Availability and Request for Comments on a Damage Assessment Scoping Document, 63 Fed. Reg. 52,244 (September 30, 1998) (pdf)

Draft Scope for the Hudson River Natural Resource Damages Assessment Plan

2. Injury Determination and Quantification
1. Biological Resources
1. Fish

Fact Sheet for Fish Toxicity Pilot Study for the Hudson River (111kb pdf May 2009)

Sampling and Analysis Plan for Hudson River Fish Health Assessment (pdf)

Assessing Fish Health -- Fall 2001 Status Report on the Hudson River NRDA (pdf)

Injuries to Hudson River Fisheries Resources Report (1.2MB pdf)

2. Birds

Hudson River Avian Injury Study Year 4 Trustee Study Plan FINAL (447kb pdf June 2009)

Responsiveness Summary for the Study Plan for the Waterfowl Injury Assessment: Determining PCB Concentrations in Hudson River Resident Waterfowl. (1.7 MB Dec. 2008)

Final Study Plan for Waterfowl Injury Assessment: Determining PCB Concentrations in Hudson River Resident Waterfowl (1.7 MB pdf. Dec. 2008)

Hudson River Trustees Release Responsiveness Summary for 2008 Avian Injury Plan (pdf)

Fact Sheet for Waterfowl Investigations 2007-2008 (pdf .Sept. 2007)

Study Plan for Avian Injury Study Year 3 (2008) (600KB pdf)

Responsiveness Summary for Avian Injury Study Amendment for 2007. (pdf)

Draft Study Plan for an Avian Injury Study for 2008 (pdf) for public review and comment.

Final Study Plan for Avian Egg Injection Study, Year 2 (2007). (1.4MB pdf file)

Draft Study Plan for Waterfowl Injury Assessment - PCBs in Hudson River Resident Waterfowl [Word].

Design and Preparation of a Custom 58-Congener PCB Mixture Dosing Solution for Avian Egg Injection Studies (2.2MB pdf)

Revised Study Plan for Avian Egg Injection Study. January 31, 2007 (2.5MB pdf)

Draft Study Plan for an Avian Injury Study - Amendment for Year 2 (2007) (pdf).

Fact Sheet - Avian Investigations for the Hudson River NRDA, December 2006 Update (680KB pdf)

Final Study Plan for an Avian Egg Injection Study (2MB pdf)

Responsiveness Summary for the Avian Egg Injection Study Plan (pdf)

Modification to Study Plan for Avian Investigations for the Hudson River - USGS Study Plan Amendment for 2006 (pdf)

Draft Study Plan for an Avian Egg Injection Study (900KB pdf)

Data Report for the Collection of Eggs from Eastern Screech Owl Associated with the Hudson River from Hudson Falls to Schodack Island, New York (800KB pdf).

Responsiveness Summary for the Study Plan for Year 2004 Avian Investigations for the Hudson River

Work Summary and Data Report for the Collection of Eggs from American Peregrine Falcon, Hudson River, New York (pdf)

Modification to Study Plan for Avian Investigations for the Hudson River - USGS Study Plan Amendment for 2005, May 2005 (pdf)

Revised Final Avian Egg Exposure Data Report (2.1MB pdf) (Revision posted 06/29/2005)

Final Study Plan for Year 2004 Avian Investigations for the Hudson River (3MB pdf).

Fact Sheet: Avian Investigation for the Year 2004, Spring 2004 (pdf).

Draft Study Plan for Year 2004 Avian Investigations for the Hudson River Released for Public Review and Comment (pdf).

Egg PCB Contamination of Various Avian Feeding Guilds from the Upper Hudson River Valley (Results of the Trustees' Spring-Summer 2002 collection of eggs from 11 species of Hudson River birds). Abstract and Presentation (1.2MB pdf)

Fact Sheet: Preliminary Investigations of Bird Injuries (pdf)

FWS Report (1997) on 1994 Tree Swallow Study (7.13MB pdf)

3. Mammals

Fact Sheet: Mink Field Study (100kb pdf November 2010)

Draft Study Plan for Public Review and Comment for an Investigation.... Investigation of Mink Occupancy Relative to Polychlorinated Biphenyl Contamination within the Hudson River Drainage (August 2010)

Work Summary and Data Report for Preliminary Investigation of PCBs in Hudson River Bats (550KB pdf)

Fact Sheet (pdf) - provides an update on the "Preliminary Investigation of PCBs in Hudson River bats".

Responsiveness Summary for the Mink Injury Study Plan (pdf).

Fact Sheet - Mink Investigations for the Hudson River NRDA, Summer 2006 Update (600KB pdf)

Final Study Plan for Mink Injury Investigations for the Hudson River (2.5MB pdf)

Draft Study Plan for Mink Injury Investigations for the Hudson River (3MB pdf)

Progress Report on Hudson River Mammals: Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB) Levels in Mink, Otter, and Muskrat and Trapping Results for Mink, the Upper Hudson River Drainage, 1998-2000

4. Reptiles and Amphibians

Data Report (500KB pdf) and Fact Sheet (pdf) for 2004 Amphibian Preliminary Investigation

Data Report(1.0MB pdf) and Fact Sheet (pdf) for 2003 Amphibian Preliminary Investigation

Data Report for the Collection of Eggs from the Common Snapping Turtle from the Hudson River, New York (740KB pdf) and associated Database User Manual (pdf).

Data Report for Screening for Organochlorine and Metal Contaminant Levels in Hudson River, New York Bullfrogs and Snapping Turtles (6.5MB pdf), and associated Quality Assurance Project Plan (1.6MB pdf).

The Accumulation of Sedimentary PCBs in Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) Tadpoles From the Upper Hudson River, November 2004 (pdf).

Fact Sheet: Preliminary Investigation of Frogs and Sediments, Spring 2004 (pdf).

PCB Contamination of Common Snapping Turtle Eggs from the Hudson River, New York (Results of the Trustees' June 2002 collection of eggs from Hudson River common snapping turtles). Abstract and Poster (pdf) .

Preliminary Investigation of Snapping Turtles (pdf)

2. Surface Water

Aquatic Insect Data Report Sept 2009 (982kb pdf)

Injury Determination Report for Hudson River Surface Water Resources. (1 MB Dec. 2008)

Fact Sheet for Sediment Toxicity Pilot Study for the Hudson River (pdf Sept. 2008)

Injuries to Hudson River Surface Water Resources Resulting in the Loss of Navigational Services . (July 2006)

3. Groundwater
4. Geologic Resources

Data report for the Collection of Small Mammals and American Woodcock from the Floodplain of the Hudson River, New York in Year 2001, Analysis of Floodplain Earthworms from the Year 2000, and Re-Analysis of Select Floodplain Soils and Small Mammals from the Year 2000 - FINAL (9.87MB pdf January 2010)

Hudson River NRDA Floodplain Data Summary, June 2004 (pdf).

PCBs in Floodplain Soils and Shrews of the Hudson River - a Presentation by the Trustees (pdf)

Floodplain Soil and Biota Screening Sampling Report (1.7MB pdf)

5. Air
3. Damage Determination and Restoration

Addressing PCB-Related Losses Along the Hudson River Through A Natural Resource Damage Claim, 10/04 (pdf).

Restoration Proposal Form (updated) (pdf) | (docx)

4. Other

Public Participation Plan - Phase I (pdf)

Public Participation Plan - Phase II (pdf)

Hudson River Restoration: Role of Natural Resource Trustees (Clearwaters Journal article, spring 2002)

Summer 2000 Status Report on the Hudson River NRDA (pdf)

5. Coordination with EPA

The Hudson River Natural Resource Federal Trustees have two posters at the Hudson-Delaware Chapter Society of Environmental Toxicology meeting, Wilmington, Delaware, April 27-28, 2011: "Hudson River Remedy Part I: Unremediated PCBs and the Implications for Restoration”, which was also at Battelle's Sixth International Conference on Remediation of Contaminated Sediments in New Orleans, Louisiana, February 7-10, 2011 (8.5MB); and "Hudson River Remedy Part II: Habitat Remediation and Reconstruction and the Implications for Restoration” (2.2MB).

Conference poster: Hudson River Remedy: Unremediated PCBs and the Implications for Restoration. This poster was presented by the Hudson River Natural Resource Federal Trustees -- NOAA and U.S. DOI/FWS -- at Battelle's Sixth International Conference on Remediation of Contaminated Sediments in New Orleans, Louisiana, February 7-10, 2011. (11.7MB)

Press release from the Hudson River Natural Resource Trustees -- DOI, NOAA, & NYS -- dated May 7, 2010 "Trustees for the Hudson River dredging project today announced their support for the Environmental Protection Agency's plans to remove PCBs from the river. The overall environmental benefits of the dredging greatly outweigh any short-term PCB impacts of the work," they said.

Federal Trustee Comments presented by Bob Foley (DOI) on May 4, 2010 and on May 5, 2010 at the Hudson River PCBs Superfund Site Phase 1 Peer Review Panel meeting. (25kb pdf May 2010)

Comments by the Hudson River Natural Resource Trustees to EPA on the Phase 1 Evaluation Reports for consideration by the Peer Review Panel (51kb pdf Apr 2010)

Comments by the Hudson River Natural Resource Trustees at the Hudson River Phase 1 Dredging Peer Review Panel on February 17-18, 2010 in Saratoga Springs, New York.

• Comments by the Hudson River Trustees on the Engineering Performance Standard to the Phase 1 Peer Review Panel; presented 2/17/10 by Lisa Rosman, NOAA Office of Response and Restoration, Assessment and Restoration Division (34kb pdf February 2010)
  
• Comments by the Hudson River Trustees on the Productivity Standard to the Phase 1 Peer Review Panel; presented 2/18/10 by Tom Brosnan, NOAA Office of Response and Restoration, Assessment and Restoration Division (27kb pdf February 2010)
  
• Comments by the Hudson River Trustees on Evaluating Backfill as a Contributor to Exceedance of the Resuspension Standard; presented by Bob Foley, Hudson River Case Manager, US Department of the Interior (33kb pdf)
  
• Comments by Kevin Farrar, NYSDEC (14kb pdf)
  
• Comments by Wayne Richter, NYSDEC Division of Fish, Wildlife and Marine Resources (15kb pdf February 2010)

 

Other links:

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation - Hudson River Homepage

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - Hudson River PCB Superfund Site

US Environmental Protection Agency - Hudson River PCBs Homepage

US Fish and Wildlife Service, Environmental Contaminants Program, Habitat Restoration Homepage