EPA provides a glimpse into the Gowanus cleanup

The Gowanus Canal
The Gowanus Canal

Even after the cleanup of the Gowanus Canal, the waters still won’t be safe enough for swimming or fishing. Last night, the public got a glimpse of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed cleaning plan for the polluted canal, which is slated to cost approximately $500 million and will be finished around 2022, DNAinfo reported.

The costs will be spread among the more than 20 parties the EPA has identified as site polluters. The two biggest are the gas supplier National Grid and the City of New York, which alone will have to shell out an estimated $78 million. The cleanup will generate hundreds of construction jobs.

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As previously reported, the proposal involves dividing the canal into three separate parts. In two sections with heavy pollution, crews will dig the polluted canal floor — described as black mayonnaise — mix it with concrete, then top it with layers of gravel, sand and clay. The other portion would similarly be dredged up and topped with a sand layer.

Another goal is to prevent raw sewage from flowing into the canal during rainstorms. The city is responsible for the sewage, DNAinfo said. [DNAinfo]Zachary Kussin