Canada geese navigate the Hudson near Poughkeepsie (photo courtesy Journal News)According to The Journal News, federal regulators have approved a General Electric proposal that calls for dredging far less Hudson River sediment upstate than originally planned. General Electric is currently conducting a $700 million cleanup of toxic PCBs.

Indeed, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, 50,000 sample studies show that more contaminants can be dredged while pulling out less sediment. Indeed, the studies point out that it is not necessary to dig as deeply into the river bottom as first thought, so a greater surface area actually can be covered in the second phase of the work -- even if one-third less sediment will be unearthed. EPA project director David King asserted "It isn't that we're doing less cleanup; if anything, we're getting 60 to 70 percent more PCBs out."

Nevertheless, Robert Goldstein of Riverkeeper expresses his concern about the monopoly of one federal agency -- the EPA -- over the scientific oversight. He hopes that EPA had not bargained with GE for the reduction in hopes of getting a longer-range commitment to the cleanup.