Major Ongoing Natural Resource Damages Assessments
Hudson River
The Hudson River Environmental Trustee Council, made up of the Commissioner of DEC and representatives of NOAA and DOI, was created in 1997. The Trustee Council is developing a natural resource damage claim against General Electric for releases of PCB's in the Hudson River below Hudson Falls. The Trustee Council issued a Preassessment Screen in 1997, a Draft Scope of the Hudson River NRD Assessment Plan in 1998, and a Hudson River NRD Assessment Plan in 2002. For more information on Hudson River NRD, including links to specific documents and studies, see the Hudson River NRD page.
St. Lawrence River in Massena
The Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs), General Motors and Alcoa-Reynolds, have funded the preparation of an NRD Assessment Plan. These two companies released PCB's, PAH's and flourides into land and waterways in and around Massena, NY as a result of historical aluminum casting and smelting activities. The NRD assessment process is being managed by the St. Lawrence Environmental Trustee Council (SLETC), which includes representatives from the Akwesasne Mohawks, NOAA, DOI, NYS Attorney General, and DEC.
A proposed Consent Decree has been issued by the US Department of Justice. Copies of the consent decree documents can be found on the US Department of Justice's website and are available for public comment until May 10, 2013. Please see the federal register website for directions on how to comment. Two public meetings will be held:
April 17, 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe Office for the Aging
Senior's Dining Hall
29 Business Park Road
Akwesasne, NY 13655
April 18, 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Dar's Place Banquet Hall, Quality Inn
10 W Orvis St.
Massena, NY 13662
For additional information about the proposed settlement, please see DEC's press release.
Onondaga Lake
Honeywell (previously Allied Signal) is responsible for contamination of Onondaga Lake by (principally) mercury and ionic wastes (salts). Recently, DEC has coordinated NRD assessment activities with DOI and the Onondaga Nation and has formed the Onondaga Lake Natural Resource Trustee Council. For copies of the Preassessment Screen or Assessment Plan for Onondaga Lake, please contact DEC's Natural Resource Damages Staff.
