Gowanus Canal Hits 10-Year Superfund Mark: EPA

GOWANUS, BROOKLYN — What a difference 10 years made for the Gowanus Canal. Sure, the waterway is still toxic, oil-filled and sludgy — but the area has also seen a dramatic rebirth in decade since the EPA gave it an ignominious distinction.

Wednesday marked the 10-year anniversary since the EPA designated the Canal a Superfund site, according to the agency's regional office on Twitter.

Being declared a Superfund site is akin to scoring a first overall round draft pick after a losing NFL season — a chance to turn a bad situation around.

And the situation in the Gowanus Canal was, and is, bad. Waste from heavy industry — tanneries, factories, and chemical plants, according to the Gowanus Canal Remedial Design Team— alongside pollution from abandoned, contaminated city-owned properties and more, freely flowed into the canal for decades.

It's not all bad news, though. Gowanus in recent years has blossomed with development and an artistic scene, from a Whole Foods to the converted Old American Can Factory. Community groups hope an upcoming rezoning will prioritize environmental conservation and keep the ever-more-popular area affordable for its longtime residents.

The long-awaited Gowanus Canal cleanup begins in August, the EPA said. The plan broadly is to dredge the waterway, ship off contaminated waste to New Jersey and lay down a "cap" on the bottom over polluted areas.

The Superfund designation prompted the creation of groups that shepherded the overall cleanup, the EPA wrote.

"Thanks to partners in progress, including @GowanusCAGcleanup will begin this year in the main channel," the EPA tweeted.

More information about the Gowanus Superfund can be found here.