National Grid To Help With Gowanus Canal Cleanup, EPA Says

GOWANUS, NY — The Environmental Protection Agency announced a $100 million agreement with National Grid to help cleanup the polluted Gowanus Canal.

Under the agreement, National Grid will help with cleanup at the head of the contaminated waterway along with restoring Thomas Greene Park and replacing the Douglass and DeGraw Pool, the EPA said.

"I’m pleased to see this settlement agreement reached as it will mean community resources are maintained during cleanup of the Gowanus Canal," Rep. Nydia Velázquez said in a statement.

"It is important that the community retain access to a nearby pool during the remediation of the park site and Canal. To that end, I will continue working to ensure maximum community input in securing a temporary and permanent replacement for the pool."

As part of the plan, National Grid agreed to build a sealed bulkhead between Butler and Union street to stop coal tar spreading into the waterway, the EPA said.

The company also agreed to remediate coal tar contaminates in the soil of Thomas Greene Park, build a temporary swimming pool while the park is closed and permanently replace the pool in the future, according to the EPA.

The Gowanus Canal was declared a Superfund site by the EPA in 2010 and workers started a nearly $50 million cleanup of the water in 2016. Construction of the bulkhead is expected to start later this year, according to the EPA.

The city also needs to acquire two pieces of privately owned land near the canal to build stormwater retention tanks and the EPA expects the remaining cleanup work could take up to six years.

Image: Nicholas Rizzi/Patch