The Gowanus Canal presents numerous health concerns for New York City. It spans from the Gowanus Bay to central Brooklyn for a total of 1.8 miles. It has served as an industrial waterway for decades as nearby companies often polluted the waters with dangerous metal and pesticidies. For almost a century, irresponsible industries have been carelessly dumping their wastes into this canal with no restrictions or reproach. They have created an unpleasant circumstance under which local residents are forced to live on a daily basis.
The EPA has declared the Gowanus Canal in South Brooklyn a public health hazard site and has proposed a plan to provide the means for a cleanup through the Superfund. In the past year, there
have been heated debates between Mayor Bloomberg and the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA). The city has proposed a tax payer funded program for cleaning the canal, while the EPA plans to use federally apportioned funds. This past March, the Gowanus Canal has been designated a superfund location. The implications of this for NYC and its mitigation and adaptation plans is interesting. While the EPA will be leading the cleanup, it will be interesting to see how the city works with this agency to effectively work on improving what has long been a dangerous environmental hazard.
