EPA Says General Electric will Spare WNY Hazardous PCB Sludge
Slaughter Proclaims Victory for Local Environment

Washington, DC - Rep. Louise M. Slaughter (D-Fairport), Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee, announced today that, according to officials at the Environmental Protection Agency, General Electric is not looking to deposit PCB sludge from the Hudson River clean up to CWM in Model City.

While a final decision has not been made, The Environmental Protection Agency has indicated they expect GE will attempt to take the PCB sludge elsewhere. 

"This is good news for Western New York's environment and good news for Western New York families. I have fought to ensure that we were not going to be the dumping ground for toxic waste and I am pleased that GE is, apparently, no longer considering using the CWM facility in Model City," said Rep. Slaughter.

Rep. Slaughter sent the following letter to EPA Regional Administrator, Jane Kenny in NYC on 12/22/03. As the letter indicates, Rep. Slaughter's office also met with EPA officials twice concerning these issues and expressed her concern that the chemicals could end up in Western New York.

A copy of the original is available upon request.

Text of the letter to Administrator Kenny:

I am writing to request that you clarify and/or confirm the statements made by EPA officials during two meetings held with my staff and other members of the Niagara County community earlier this year.  Both meetings, the most recent occurring on March 13, 2003, concerned the unlikelihood that Polychlorinated biphenyls ( PCBs )  dredged from the Hudson River would be disposed of at CWM Chemical Services, LLC in Model City, New York.

During the presentation by N.G. Kaul, from the EPA Hudson River Field Office, it was stated that according to the Record of Decision (ROD) there are only ten qualified facilities in the United States capable of disposing the PCBs dredged from the Hudson River.  CWM was not one of these qualified facilities since it lacks rail access.  Moreover, according to the ROD, the disposal facility must be selected by 2005, precluding the likelihood that CWM could site and construct a rail facility in time to be considered as a qualified disposal facility.

As you may know, CWM has announced its plans to expand in Niagara County which has raised various concerns with local residents, including the potential for PCB disposal.  I hope your response will clarify this matter and help assuage these concerns.   Please do not hesitate to contact me or Christopher Zeltmann, of my staff, at 585-232-4850 if you have any questions on this request.

Sincerely,

Louise M. Slaughter