Hudson River PCB Story

The Hudson River PCB Story: A Toxic Heritage tells the story of PCB pollution in the Hudson River, and what might be done to alleviate the problem. It features Andy Mele, Environmental Director of Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, as on-camera host and narrator. Others appearing in the program include: Brian Bush, PCB expert; Sean Bushort, PCB expert; David Carpenter, MD, State University at Albany; Cara Lee, Scenic Hudson; Ann Secord, Wildlife Biologist; Ward Stone, DEC Wildlife Pathologist; Dr. Pete Myers, Executive Director of the W. Alton Jones Foundation and author of Our Stolen Future; Kevin Farrar, DEC; and Douglas Tomchuk, EPA.

The program was produced over a period of one year, and features footage shot from the Adirondacks to NY Harbor. It includes scenes of swimming and fishing, boating and kayaking, evidence from concerned scientists and expert testimony outlining the problems the 200-mile-long polluted river poses to the citizens of the Hudson Valley and beyond. Issues of cleanup, dredging and where to put PCBs safely are addressed, as well as the health risks posed by their continued presence in what has been termed the nation's second most endangered river. PCBs are acknowledged as cancer risks as well as risks to our hormonal and our nervous systems.

The Hudson River is an enormous Superfund site and demands our attention. The Hudson River PCB Story: A Toxic Heritage brings home the vital interest we all have in making the river safe for ourselves and our children.

The film was produced and directed by Tobe Carey of Willow Mixed Media, Inc., in conjunction with Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, produced under a grant from The W. Alton Jones Foundation.