City Poo-Poos Demands to Stop Gowanus Sewage Dump

According to an article in today’s Daily News, the city and the government are duking it out over the city’s practice of dumping raw sewage into the Gowanus Canal amidst the federal government-led Superfund cleanup of the canal. Here’s the crux, according to the story: “The feds say the city will have to crack down on the sewer overflows – which spew almost 400 million gallons of sewage into the canal every year – as part of an upcoming Superfund cleanup or else the ambitious cleanup will be ruined because the waterway will quickly get dirty again. But city officials say the sewage isn’t responsible for the toxic sludge at the bottom of the canal, which comes from decades of industrialchemical pollution.” The city has its own plans for reducing sewage dumping, but the federal government says it’s not good enough. Here’s their side: “EPA spokeswoman Mary Mears said sewer overflow controls – beyond those to which the city is currently committed – …are necessary in order to ensure the long-term integrity of a Superfund remedy for the Canal. ‘Of course, as a general matter, it is very important that we reduce the flow of raw sewage into urban waterways,’ she said. Through the Superfund law, the EPA can move to legally force the city to stop the overflows.” Translation: The city is not going to win this fight.
City Balks at Demands From the Feds to Stop Raw Sewage Overflows into Gowanus Canal [NY Daily News]
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