Going to Extremes - The Ripple Effect: The Fate of Freshwater in the Twenty-First Century - page 29

a second phase of remediation, GE proposed a set of Corrective Measures, which out-
line ten different options for cleaning the “rest of river” downstream of the remediated
zone. One plan calls for PCB-laden mud to be dredged from the river and its flood-
plains, loaded into trucks, and deposited in landfills or local ponds over the next fifty
years. This scenario scares local people. But a coalition of environmentalists, sportsmen,
and environmental groups complain that GE's plan is outdated and hugely expensive,
could remove the dredged material by railway instead of trucks (as is done along the
Hudson), and is akin to a blunt instrument that will damage wildlife and will not guar-
antee the removal of PCBs.
Instead, activists propose a ten-point plan that emphasizes careful, cost-minded
planning, environmentally sensitive remediation of PCBs in only a few sites at a time,
and postfact evaluations of the effectiveness of the cleanup.
“We've made progress, but there's just so much more to do,” sighed Tim Gray. “I
doubt this river will ever be 'fishable and swimmable' in my lifetime, if ever.”
He was cautiously optimistic that President Obama's EPA would push GE to under-
take a more extensive cleanup than President Bush's did. But GE will likely resort to its
by now familiar strategy: drag out the case for as long as possible, use up HRI's lim-
ited resources, and bog down regulators. If that fails, the company could take the case
to the US Supreme Court, where Chief Justice John Roberts has proven to be industry-
friendly.
As in the case of Newtown Creek, the only “permanent solution” for cleaning the
Housatonic is to dig up all of the buried chemicals; treat all of the polluted water, sed-
iments, and floodplains along the entire length of the river; and replace the soil with
clean fill so that no PCB contamination is let. Even Tim Gray doesn't believe such com-
prehensive remediation is possible. What he does envision is something nearly as rad-
ical: turning Pittsfield's misfortune into its salvation.
Industrial pollution is a national—and global—problem, and as Gray sees it, this
presents an unusual opportunity. He envisions transforming Pittsfield from a down-on-
its-heels Industrial Age shell into a booming, Silicon Valley-like hub for the study of
pollution control, a magnet for academics and businesses to pursue innovative remedi-
ation technologies. Gray has already investigated a number of novel techniques, such as
using bacteria or earthworm enzymes to “digest” pollution. Why not scale this research
up a hundredfold and turn it into a revenue producer?
“I could really see turning all the negatives into a big positive for the region,” he said.
“I mean, why not—all we need is funding.”
Standing in front of Pittsfield's dark, haunted GE plant, the idea seems quixotic, at
best. But Gray is not delusional. Similar initiatives to turn industrial toxins into profits
have taken root in places even more blighted than Pittsfield—such as Butte, Montana.