Advocates for expanded Hudson River cleanup renew call in possible final year of dredging

Environmentalists and elected officials are renewing their call for a broader PCB cleanup of the upper-Hudson River in what could be the final year of dredging.

General Electric is expected to begin its sixth and possibly final season of dredging next month as part of a $2 billion federal Superfund project.

Environmentalists have long called for GE to undertake additional dredging of PCB "hot spots" outside the project's boundaries. Advocates speaking at a news conference along the river Tuesday in Green Island said they hoped GE would agree to settlement including expanded dredging.

GE officials have said they see no need to expand dredging and are meeting the project's requirements.

The Fairfield, Connecticut-based company discharged about 1.3 million pounds of poly-chlorinated biphenyls from its upriver capacitor plants until 1977.