Explore the hudson valleys rich history historic hudson. Hudson river cleanup hudson river pcbs superfund site. Two hundred miles 322 km of the river was declared as a superfund site in 1984. At the time, the hudson was rank with raw sewage, toxic chemicals and oil pollution. As cities and factories were built along the river, they used the river. Ge polluted drinking water supplies in hudson river towns. For more than two decades, ge dumped an estimate 1. The erie canal, the steamboat era, developing appreciation of the magnificent scenery by artists. Once feared, now celebrated, hudson river cleanup nears its end general electric is entering the final year of a billiondollar cleanup of pcbcontaminated water. Why is the cleanup of the upper hudson river needed. Ges pcbs are now found in sediment, water and wildlife throughout the hudson river ecosystem as far south as the new york harbor. Hudson river shows signs of rebound after decades as new. Planning growth and designing communities are part of the local governments job. Epa released the proposed plan for the hudson river pcbs superfund site for public comment on december 12, 2000.
Between 1947 and 1977, general electric dumped an estimated 1. Runoff from farms and roads causes more contamination of the hudson river by such chemicals as lead and arsenic than do discharges from factories, according to a. Hudson river cleanup hudson river pcbs superfund site us epa. Contamination of the hudson river the sediment record.
The hudson is part of the erie canal from new york city to albany. The hudson river provides habitat for over 200 species of fish, including american shad, striped bass, and atlantic sturgeon. Hudson river pollutant, initially crossword puzzle clue. History of the hudson superfund site the hudson river. This book examines human effects on rivers throughout the continental united states, and includes an extensive discussion of diverse types, sources, and effects of river pollution. Genealogical and family history of southern new york and the hudson river valley.
The hudson river pcb polychlorinated biphenyls cleanup is one of the largest environmental cleanups in modern history. Visitors to the palisades enjoyed the hudson river as a site of. This succinct book gives an intimate view of the daytoday functioning of a remarkable river that has figured prominently in history and culturethe hudson, a main artery connecting new york, america, and the world. The hudson river is named for the european explorer henry hudson, who explored it in 1609. Two centuries of documenting the hudson river citylab. The hudson river is one of the great rivers of the world. They would go out with their father and catch fish from the river, big. Though the cleanup has been slow, environmental advocacy groups have reached out to the general public on the condition of the river s pollution. Final lawsuit over ges hudson river pcb pollution nearly settled. Remediating the hudson river pollution the earth times. Fishermens association has printed ten thousand bagapolluter cards and given them out free up and down. The hudson river valley may be americas premier river environmental laboratory, and by bringing. Study of hudson river contamination serves as a cautionary.
To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. The 315mile hudson river is steeped in american history. They continue to move as the river flows and each day add to the pollution of the river. Contamination of the hudson river the sediment record richard f. The hudson river pcb cleanup has reached a crossroad. A brilliant recollection of the hudson river, its history, its tales, its biodiversity and its pollution. It flows almost entirely within the state, the exception being its final segment, where it forms the boundary between new york and new jersey for 21 miles 34 km. Running for 315 miles, it empties into lower new york bay and the atlantic ocean. Steamboats, including the 1898 steam tug mathilda are the major focus of this museum, which highlights their place in commerce, industry and leisure.
Now 45 years after this book was written we have a hudson river which is not on a list of 100 most polluted rivers in the united states. Melosi on henshaw, environmental history of the hudson river. Hudson river pollutant, initially is a crossword puzzle clue. New yorks hudson river, once known as americas rhine in a nod to the famous european waterway, played a pivotal role in bolstering american power at the cost of decades of foul pollution. Between 1947 and 1977, general electric polluted the hudson river by discharging.
Environmental history of the hudson river by robert e. Marine biologists book recalls history of pollution in new jersey. Other kinds of pollution, including mercury contamination and cities discharging untreated sewage, have also caused problems in the river. Environmental history of the hudson river suny press. For more information and to purchase the dvd visit.
An overview of the history american shad on the hudson river, from the natives use before european settlers came, through the beginning of. From wilderness to the civil war benjamin, vernon on. Hudson river valley notables such as andrew jackson downing and families with names such dewint, schoonmaker, bailey, and kinsley were among the many affected by the tragic circumstances. The city was still a manufacturing hub and the river, which empties into lake. Hudson river simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Every time we lay down a new parking lot or piece of roadway, there is an impact on our environment. Through his investigative narrative, schuyler uncovers the role of this iconic american waterway in the emergence of modern environmentalism. Three environmental issues facing the hudson river all over. Industry provided jobs, created communities, and brought economic growth to the region. The actions in the upper hudson will lower the risks to people, fish, and wildlife in the lower hudson. The environment superfund was signed as early as 1980s as a way to reduce toxic waste pollution, and assign a polluter pays status to such. The disaster, reported in the major newspapers of the day, drew national attention.
Water pollution central rappahannock regional library. This book is subtitled a natural and unnatural history. In straightforward yet scientifically exacting terms, clearwater. General electric company ge discharged as much as 1. In 1965, new york state voters passed a billion dollar pure waters bond act to fund sewage treatment. The hudson river pcb story a toxic heritage youtube. American shad fishing on the hudson river welcome to the. The hudson river maritime museum in kingston features exhibits on this period of the river s history. The tape tells the story of pcb pollution in the hudson river, and what might be done to alleviate the problem.
These fish are critical links in the hudson river food web. The more houses we build, the more pollution we will add to our environment. Ahead of the rail, river, hudson ii tour this coming weekend, we have a series of posts focusing on the hudson river this week as much as the hudson river has been revered and treasured by people over the years for its beauty and key role in our communities, its also suffered its share of adverse impacts during that history. Here we are going to look at some hudson river facts for kids, and see what the history and importance of the river has been in the past as well as the present. The source of the hudson river is the poeticsounding lake tear of the clouds, in the adirondacks. The story of the hudson river talbott, hudson, talbott, hudson. A view of the hudson river, looking north from the walkway over the hudson, a footbridge that spans the river near poughkeepsie. Hudson river river, new york, united states britannica.
Runoff cited in pollution of the hudson the new york times. A record of the achievements of her people in the making of a commonwealth and the building of a nation. Thomas coles story thomas cole national historic site. The hudson and modern american environmentalism cornell university press, 2018 describes the efforts to reverse the pollution and bleak future of the hudson river that became evident in the 1950s. Jul 02, 2012 for more than two decades, ge dumped an estimate 1. The diverse contributions to environmental history of the hudson river examine how the natural and physical attributes of the river have influenced human settlement and uses, and how human occupation has, in turn, affected the ecology and environmental health of the river. Now it is coming back to life, a river where fish and birds can thrive again, a river valued once more by communities along its shores. It follows by five years schuylers book on the hudson s 19th century. The last public beach in palisades interstate park closed in 1943, in part due to pollution. The benjamin center for public policy initiatives at suny new paltz has published a new study that details the history of chemical pollution in the hudson river and the state and federal policies aimed at rectifying. May 14, 2018 david schuyler s new book, embattled river. Published for the quadricentennial of the 1609 voyage up new yorks premier river by henry hudson, the first. Aug 28, 2016 revolution on the hudson new york city and the hudson river valley in the american war of independence by george c. The hudson river and pcb pollution essay 1524 words bartleby.
Lewis historical publishing company, 19 hudson river valley n. Between 1947 and 1977, general electric polluted the hudson river by discharging polychlorinated biphenyls pcbs, causing a range of harmful effects to wildlife and people who eat fish from the river or drink the water. A brief history of hudson river water quality and pollution issues, cleanup successes, and remaining concerns. Once feared, now celebrated, hudson river cleanup nears. Many noxious discharges have ceased, but leftovers from past pollution haunt the hudson, and new problems are becoming evident. James simpson lamontdoherty geological obervatory of columbia university e abstract measurements of natural and manmade radionuclides have been used to trace finegrained sediment accumulation throughout the hudson river system. The hudson originates in several small postglacial lakes in the adirondack mountains near. Hudson lives in the hudson valley in new york and has been a member of the board of trustees of the thomas cole national historic site since 2005. It guided henry hudson in search of a northwest passage and served commerce as a transportation route during the industrial revolution. Scenic hudson, hudson river sloop clearwater, hudson riverkeeper, and the natural resources defense council have continued to push for more action from general electric.
Hudson s book river of dreams the story of the hudson river, was named the new york state childrens book of the year in 2009. The hudsons unique history continues to affect current uses and will surely influence the future in remarkable ways. Revolution on the hudson new york city and the hudson river valley in the american war of independence by george c. The source of the pcb discharges was two ge capacitor manufacturing plants located in fort edward and hudson falls, new york, about 50 miles north of albany. The hudson river and pcb pollution essay 1524 words. Marine biologists book recalls history of pollution in new. It follows by five years schuylers book on the hudsons 19th century. Studies the history, characteristics, and natural wildlife of the h.
Off manhattan, 150 million gallons of raw sewage entered the river daily until 1986. However, an era of industrial pollution left its mark on the treasured river. The marathon swim was a major part of swim for the river, a documentary detailing the history of pollution in the hudson river and the fight against it. In 1972, the clean water act made cleanup a national priority, providing billions more.
The state of new york banned fishing in the upper hudson in 1976 due to the pollution, and in 1984 a roughly 200mile stretch of the river was declared a superfund site, requiring ge to pay for. The water in the town of halfmoon is a top priority issue and because of the pcbs and the hudson river, and my position as. The book discusses specific examples of river pollution from the great lakes region and provides an overview of riverine water quality throughout the country. Hudson river is a 507 km long river which flow through eastern new york, it originates from lake tear of the clouds in the adirondack mountains, and drains into the atlantic ocean between new. Hudson river sloop clearwater the clearwater story. The loss of this name is symptomatic of the loss of the regions native history. A brief history of the hudson river hudson, ny bed and. Polychlorinated biphenyls, otherwise known as pcbs started to be used in many commercial and industrial products in the late 1920s and up until the late 1970s, when they were finally banned, they polluted major rivers and waterways around the world. Hudson river fish evolve toxic immunity pollution the. Fish toxicity pilot study for the hudson river nrda nys. Theres also a display on hudson river lighthouses featuring the 1915 rondout ii lighthouse. An illustrated childrens book captures the magic of the hudson river through the eyes of a young woman who paddles its length. I found it unique because although from a good source and scientific, it flowed nicely and wasnt dry.
The upper hudson became polluted after the release of 209,0001. Jul 10, 2015 ahead of the rail, river, hudson ii tour this coming weekend, we have a series of posts focusing on the hudson river this week as much as the hudson river has been revered and treasured by people over the years for its beauty and key role in our communities, its also suffered its share of adverse impacts during that history. It is a pedestrian walkway over the hudson river that opened as part of the hudson river quadricentennial celebrations, and it connects over 25 miles of existing pedestrian trails. Ge finally initiates cleanup of hudson river history. In 1966 a writer for sports illustrated, robert boyle, got together with a few fishermen in garrison new york and decided they had had enough of the industrial abuse of the hudson river.
The hudson river and pcb pollution the hudson river is a body of water that stretches for 315 miles from the adirondack mountains to the battery in manhattan, reaching its deepest point of 216 feet in the highlands near constitution island and west point and reaches its widest point of 3 miles. Lays out the reason why it was and remains important to remove 1. Writing for a wide audience, david strayer distills the large body of scientific information about the river into a nontechnical overview of its ecology. Hudson river pollutant, initially is a crossword puzzle clue that we. The hudson river is a 315 mile river and flows from north to south through eastern new york. The hudson river used to have a lot of pollution from industry, but it is becoming cleaner now.
Three environmental issues facing the hudson river all. Not long ago, it was deeply threatened by pollution. The hudson river can one day be as healthy as it is beautiful and the ecological benefits of cleaning up the river will be enjoyed for generations to come. In 2016, a humpback whale was spotted swimming in the hudson river west of 63rd street in manhattan. But its what has transpired between the source and where it empties that makes the hudson river so fascinating. Hudson river pollution, pollution cleanup, superfund sites. Albany groundwater in at least three upstate towns is contaminated by pollutants that general electric dumped into the hudson river for decades, a new federal report has found. The unique environmental education program on board the sloop, clearwater, founded by folksinger pete seeger, has taught thousands of children and. River pollution environmental science oxford bibliographies. In 1966, in despair over the pollution of his beloved hudson river, seeger announced plans to build a boat to save the river. Fact sheet 8 hudson river pcb pollution timeline 1865 first pcblike chemical discovered. The hudson river has been a vital artery in new yorks history, an essential tool for travel and transport, survival and inspiration for generations of native americans, european settlers, british and american soldiers, and those who ultimately call it home. Final lawsuit over ges hudson river pcb pollution nearly.
The first three chapters describe the early exploration and takeover by europeans verrazano, hudson of new york harbor and the hudson river. The hudson river and pcb pollution the hudson river is a body of water that stretches for 315 miles from the adirondack mountains to the battery in manhattan, reaching its deepest point of 216 feet in the highlands near constitution island and west point and reaches its widest point of 3. The lower part of this river separates new york from new jersey and is sometimes called the north river. Studies the history, characteristics, and natural wildlife of the hudson and the ways in which man has enriched or devastated the river. Frances dunwell, an environmentalist and historic preservationist who has spent the last thirty years laboring to save the natural and cultural heritage of the hudson valley, has written an invaluable new book about the hudson. The pcbs were produced during the manufacture of electrical capacitors. A famous book amongst ecologists studying the hudson. The pollutants of the industrial revolution had brought the majestic. A childrens book about the hudson river that appeals to adults. Environmental history of the hudson river nhbs academic. Feb 20, 2011 scientists have discovered fish feeding at the bottom of hudson river have developed a gene that means they have a special immunity to pcb toxins.
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