General Electric agrees to study upper Hudson River floodplains for PCB contamination

The U.S. Environmental Protection says General Electric has agreed to do a comprehensive study of PCB contamination of the upper Hudson River floodplain.

The Fairfield, Connecticut-based company has been dredging PCBs from a 40-mile stretch of river north of Albany since 2009 in a Superfund cleanup project estimated to cost about $2 billion. Until 1977, GE discharged into the river about 1.3 million pounds of PCBs, which were used as coolants in electrical equipment.

Under an agreement announced Wednesday, GE will investigate and develop cleanup options for PCB contamination in the 40-mile stretch from Hudson Falls to Troy. EPA estimates the cost of the work at $20.5 million.

GE also agreed to reimburse EPA for $3.5 million in floodplain-related past costs.