Gowanus Canal Contamination Report Release Imminent

Residents and stakeholders have been waiting a long time to see just how polluted the Gowanus Canal really is. Last night they learned it would only be a matter of days.

At the Superfund Community Advisory Group meeting at the Old American Can Factory, facilitator Jeff Edelstein said the "remedial investigation" report would be released this week, possibly even by the middle of the week.

The report, which will show what pollutants are in the canal and in what quantity as well as assess the risks to humans and the environment, will guide the next steps in the Superfund clean-up process.

It will "give general directions as to where it's most contaminated and to what extent," he said.

Edelstein also noted the report will include information on the Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) that continue to flow into the Gowanus, an issue that is not necessarily a part of the Superfund clean-up.

The R.I. "will answer questions about where CSOs fit into the picture of the Superfund cleanup," he said, adding that not every question about contamination would be answered. 

Copies of the report will be on the Gowanus Superfund EPA website and at the of the Brooklyn Public Library.

Christos Tsiamis, the EPA's Gowanus Canal Project Manager, will be presenting the findings of the report at a public meeting in the next few weeks.