Rules tightened for cleaning of the Hudson River from GE (Wall Street Journal)

Environmental Protection Agency has set stricter requirements for General Electric Co. in the next phase of the Hudson River Cleanup.

The Agency will require GE dredging sediments contaminated with PCBs more effectively during the remainder of the cleanup in the first phase and less "recovery" - a procedure which involves heavy anchor of sediment at the bottom of toxic material especially River soil.

GE has 30 days to decide if it will accept or challenge the findings of the EPA.

"GE evaluate carefully plan the EPA," said Mark Behan, a spokesman for Fairfield, Conn., conglomerate. "If we determine that the plan is consistent with our technical discussions with the EPA, which is based on sound science and that it is possible to achieve, we expect to go ahead with phase two."

Environmental groups wanted even less capping, which they worry could disrupt the river bottom habitats and allow the PCB, or polychlorinated biphenyls, leaching over time. "The decision was clearly a compromise," said Ned Sullivan, scenic Hudson President and formerly a senior environment for the State of Maine.

Two GE plants near Albany, New York, released 1.3 million pounds of PCBs during three decades legally before that toxic chemicals were banned in 1977, implementing the largest cleanings of the federal Superfund law.

The company began dredging of soils in 2009, after years of battling the EPA who is responsible for sanitation. GE conducts the work under the direction of the EPA.

EPA was initially estimated that cleaning cost 760 million. GE says that he has already spent 830 million effort since 1990, including 561 million for the plan and the design of the first phase of the work of dredging. GE CEO Jeff Immelt said analysts on a conference call on October 15, fresh from the decision of the EPA could be "a slight negative" for the fourth quarter earnings.

EPA said Friday it limit remedies recovery after initial dredging of 11% of the project area, but is beyond the areas where recovery is considered convenient cleaning only the pillars of the bedrock, clay or bridge option. In all, GE might ultimately covering approximately 92 acres, or 21%, 440 acres area then dredging. GE capped 37 percent in the first phase. Involved in the discussions of environmental groups say that GE seeks to restrict as much as 24% of the area in the second phase.

Society and environmental groups of wranglin' with EPA for months on the terms of the next phase of cleaning Hudson River. Decision on the second phase, once expected to mid-November, EPA was delayed by close to one-month technical details discussed parts.

On Tuesday, an investor meeting in New York, Mr. Immelt said that society is willing to resolve the issue. "We're going to take the dredging Hudson phase two really out of the table when looking at the future financially", said Mr. Immelt.

Write toDevlin Barrett to the devlin.barrett@wsj.com