Feds to force city’s hand in Gowanus Canal cleanup

Cleaning the polluted Gowanus Canal may cost the city even more than the estimated $467 million to $504 million, now that the federal government is forcing the city to prevent millions of gallons of raw sewage from being dumped into the Superfund site, the Brooklyn Paper reported. To prevent the sewage from making its way to the canal, the city may need to construct $78 million worth of catch basins buried alongside the banks of the canal.

Under the plan, two holding tanks would catch storm water and dangerous raw human waste spillover from sewers at the head of the canal near Butler Street and at the middle of the waterway near Third Street, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The EPA’s cleanup plan involves dredging 10 feet of contaminated material from the canal floor, mixing it with concrete and then topping it with gravel, sand and clay layers.

As previously reported, the Lightstone Group is currently looking to build a luxury rental project along the Gowanus. However, the plan has been opposed by officials, such as Councilmember Brad Lander and the Brooklyn Law School Development Clinic. [Brooklyn Paper] –Christopher Cameron