For more than half a century, Clearwater has worked to protect the Hudson River through grassroots organizing in waterfront/Hudson Valley communities. Over the years Clearwater has been instrumental in advocating for the closure and now for the safe decommissioning of the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant, for a comprehensive cleanup of General Electric’s legacy polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) pollution, and countless other campaigns that protect the Hudson River and the well-being of the residents on its shores.

Clearwater remains committed to our mission to protect the Hudson River, and to our efforts to raise public awareness of the issues threatening the river. We believe an educated and engaged citizenry is a powerful force for change.

 

Ways to Take Action:

  • Expand stream protections in New York State! Request Governor Hochul sign A4601-A/S1725-A to include Class C streams under NYSDEC’s Protection of Waters Program. Take Action!

 

Request a speaker from Clearwater

 

Clearwater’s Priorities (‘23-’24)

 

Indian Point

After decades of grassroots advocacy and legal action by Clearwater and our partners, the last reactor at the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant closed in April 2021. In collaboration with the Indian Point Convergence, Clearwater successfully championed the creation of a Decommissioning Oversight Board to oversee the decommissioning of the facility. As the decommissioning process progresses, Clearwater will continue to be an active advocate and ally to the community striving to ensure the safest decommissioning possible. Learn more about Indian Point (coming soon).

 

PCBs

As a  result of decades of General Electric’s discharging of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the mid-1900s, the Hudson River is one of the largest Superfund sites in the United States. PCBs take decades to break down and have accumulated in the sediment, water, and wildlife in and along the Hudson River, posing risks to ecological and human health. General Electric has been slow to act and conduct necessary investigations into the river’s recovery from legacy PCB pollution. A review of the Superfund cleanup is due every 5-years, including a report on how successful the cleanup remedy has been, known as a Protectiveness Determination. Clearwater will be carefully watching this process along with our partners Friends of a Clean Hudson, and will keep the public engaged and informed. Learn more about General Electric’s polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) contamination of the Hudson River.

 

Swimmable Hudson

Clearwater was an instrumental force in the initial passage of the Clean Water Act in 1972, which established goals of zero water pollution discharges by 1985 and for all U.S. waters to be swimmable and fishable by 1983. Nearly 40 years later, the Hudson River ecosystem and swimmability are improving, but discharges continue, the river is not always safe for swimming and significant fish consumption advisories remain in place. Clearwater will continue to support efforts to improve water quality and quicken progress toward CWA goals, through advocacy, education, and amplifying the desire of communities to safely fish and swim in the Hudson River. 

 

Newburgh PFAS Drinking Source Water Contamination

The City of Newburgh’s drinking water source, Washington Lake was contaminated with Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from firefighting foam runoff from Stewart Air National Guard Base. PFAS has been linked to increased cholesterol, increased risk of high blood pressure in pregnant women, decreased infant birth rates, and heightened risks of kidney or testicular cancer. Since May 2, 2016, the City of Newburgh has received drinking water from alternative sources, though PFAS-contaminated Washington Lake remains the permanent drinking water source for the City of Newburgh. Clearwater is a member of the Restoration Advisory Board and joins the community in advocating for timely remediation of Washington Lake. Learn more about Newburgh’s drinking source water contamination (coming soon). 

 

Coastal Resilience Measures for NY-NJ Harbor as proposed by the Army Corps of Engineers

In 2018, the Army Corps of Engineers released six proposed approaches for managing coastal storm risk in the tidal Hudson River. Despite a well-intentioned set of proposals, they do not consider risks from sea level rise or rapid and intense precipitation. Though our region very much needs investment in coastal resilience, proposals must be comprehensive, prioritize nature-based solutions, and center community involvement in the development of project proposals. Learn more about the proposed Coastal Resilience Measures for NY-NJ Harbor (coming soon).

 

For more information about Clearwater’s Environmental Action work, contact Jen Benson, Environmental Action Director at  jen@clearwater.org.

Clearwater celebrates Manna Jo Greene, who recently retired from Clearwater after 22 years. A tireless advocate for the Hudson River and communities in its watershed, Manna led robust environmental campaigns, including Clearwater’s efforts to close the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant and establish the Decommissioning Oversight Board, stop the expansion of Danskammer Energy’s gas-fired power plant, ban hydrofracking in New York State, for remediation of PCB contamination in the Hudson River, and countless other initiatives.

We are stronger together. Stand with Clearwater and help us continue our efforts to protect the Hudson River. Support Clearwater’s Environmental Action efforts.