July 2003 United States EPA Releases Ecological Risk Assessment Environmental Protection Agency New England Region for GE/Housatonic River Site, Rest of River, 1 Congress Street Boston, MA 02114 for Public Comment and Peer Review EPA has released the Ecological Risk Assessment (ERA) report for the GE/Housatonic Public Comment Period River, Rest of River, for public comment and Peer Review. The ERA is one of a series of EPA is holding a 30-day Public Comment reports being prepared by EPA under a Consent Decree negotiated with General Electric Period on the Ecological Risk Assessment Company, EPA, and other government agencies. (ERA) from July 14 to August 13, 2003. After the Comment Period, the ERA will be The Ecological Risk Assessment characterizes the risk posed to animals exposed to PCBs reviewed by a panel of nationally recognized and other contaminants from the GE facility in Pittsfield, MA, while living and/or feeding experts in the field. All input is welcomed, in the river and floodplain. and EPA encourages everyone to participate. The public is encouraged to: The report evaluates the fate and transport of PCBs and other contaminants in the river and floodplain and the potential routes of exposure and toxicological effects of PCBs and • Submit comments on the ERA to the MNG other contaminants; identifies both aquatic and terrestrial ecological endpoints to be Center at SRA, a consultant hired by EPA to maintain third-party neutrality during the ...