The Berkshire Argus Podcast

AUDIO: Bob Jones on plans for a PCB dump in Lee, Massachusetts

Jul 31, 2023

Bob Jones discusses the incomplete PCB cleanup of the Housatonic River, revealing only 30% removal. Controversy surrounds plans for a toxic waste dump in Lee, Massachusetts, with lack of transparency and environmental risks. The podcast dives into legal and ethical concerns, public outrage, and the potential consequences of leaving PCBs in the river. Reflections on the federal court case and community engagement highlight the ongoing environmental challenges.

50:34

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Episode guests

Bob Jones

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

The Rest of River Cleanup Agreement will not remove all PCBs from the Housatonic River, impacting human health and wildlife.

The PCB dump site in Lee raises environmental and health concerns due to its proximity to a freshwater aquifer.

The lack of community involvement and transparency in the PCB cleanup decision-making process has led to misconceptions.

Deep dives

The Inadequacy of the Rest of River Cleanup Plan

The Rest of River Cleanup Agreement, approved in 2020 by the Lee Select Board and other towns, will not remove all PCBs from the Housatonic River. Despite residents' assumptions, the cleanup will not fully restore the river to a safe, healthy state. The plan includes disposing of some PCB-laden river sediment at a new 20-acre dump site in Lee, located near a freshwater aquifer and only 15 feet above the water table. This approach differs from the original EPA's 2016 permit, which aimed to send all PCB waste to out-of-state disposal facilities.

Introduction

6min

Complexities of the Rest of River Cleanup Plan and Lack of Transparency in Decision-Making

5min

Toxic Waste Dump Negotiations in Lee, Massachusetts

9min

Controversy Surrounding PCB Cleanup Plans

18min

Contaminated Dams and Environmental Injustice

10min

Reflections on the Federal Court Case and Potential Environmental Impacts of a Proposed PCB Dump

2min

When news headlines refer to “the Housatonic River clean-up,” some assume that the GE-funded and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-approved remediation work will remove all PCB contamination and return the river to a safe, healthy state.

But as Bob Jones, chair of the Select Board in the Town of Lee, Massachusetts, explains in this podcast conversation, that’s not the case. The “Rest of River” cleanup agreement approved in 2020 by the Select Boards of Lee, Lenox, Stockbridge, Great Barrington and Sheffield will not remove all of the PCBs. Jones argues that perhaps as little as 30 percent of the contamination that makes the river and surrounding area unhealthy for people and wildlife will be removed.

As a result, he told me, “You and I will never eat fish out of the Housatonic River.”

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The Berkshire Argus Podcast

AUDIO: Bob Jones on plans for a PCB dump in Lee, Massachusetts

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

The Inadequacy of the Rest of River Cleanup Plan

Economic Impact of the Cleanup Agreement

Concerns About PCB Contamination and Cleanup Effectiveness

Lack of Transparency and Community Engagement in Cleanup Process

Environmental Impact and Legal Challenges

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts