Under EPA oversight, PRP contractors began the initial phase of dredging in the main channel of the Gowanus Canal north of the 3rd Street Bridge in November 2020. An excavator mounted on a platform barge removed approximately 35, 000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment from the bottom of the canal.
| City | Brooklyn |
|---|---|
| County | Kings County |
| State | New York |
| Coordinates | 40.68164, -73.98733 |
Gowanus Canal is a federal Superfund site in New York. The Superfund program, created by Congress in 1980, addresses sites where hazardous substances have been released or threaten release into the environment. EPA scores potential sites using the Hazard Ranking System; those that score high enough are placed on the National Priorities List.
Current status: Cleanup underway. Active cleanup is underway, meaning EPA has approved a remediation plan and work is in progress. Cleanup timelines vary widely — some sites take decades depending on contamination depth, groundwater involvement, and funding availability.
EPA has identified 10 contaminants of concern at this site, including benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, benzo[a]anthracene. Contamination has been detected in sediment.
If you live near this site and have health concerns, your state health department can provide site-specific guidance. EPA maintains a community involvement program for most NPL sites, and site documents — including the Record of Decision, five-year reviews, and public health assessments — are typically available through EPA's Superfund site profile.