The EPA is looking for at least eight years of fish data before likely making a determination.

Mark Behan, president of Behan Communications and spokesman for GE, said the EPA has often said it will need more time “to fully evaluate the benefits of the dredging project.” GE will also continue to collect water, sediment and fish samples and provide the information to DEC and EPA.

“I think that what I take away from this is that EPA confirmed that GE successfully completed dredging, that GE met all of its commitments and that dredging produced declines in PCB levels as EPA expected,” Behan said.

Gary Klawinski, director of the EPA’s Hudson River Office, added that EPA collects fish data twice a year, but there will be more monitoring done than previously. In 2019, there will be more fish sampling and more species of fish sampled. For example, Klawinski said they’ll start looking at walleye fish.

The ultimate goal is to have the fish tissue reach PCB concentrations of 0.05 parts per million over 50 years.

“Ultimately, again, if we’re not heading in the right direction as we stated, then we would consider whether a re-opener is needed and additional work is required for trajectory,” Lopez said.