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NEW YORK, NY (December 4, 2001) - It has been a long haul -- 30 years since GE dumped cancer-causing PCBs in the Hudson River and one year since the EPA first announced its plan to order GE to clean it up.

We know that GE tried its best to derail the cleanup plan and it appears they almost succeeded. But despite GE's ceaseless lobbying and the millions it spent to fight the cleanup, it appears that GE will now be held accountable. We thank EPA Administrator Christine Todd Whitman for doing the right thing and making the cleanup plan final. And we thank Governor Pataki and all those who encouraged Mrs. Whitman to stick to her guns.

New Yorkers and the nation will be watching closely to make sure the job is done right, without further pressure and stalling tactics or unnecessary delays. The cleanup must adhere to sound science and be done safely.

The Natural Resources Defense Council is a national, non-profit organization of scientists, lawyers and environmental specialists dedicated to protecting public health and the environment. Founded in 1970, NRDC has more than 500,000 members nationwide, served from offices in New York, Washington, Los Angeles and San Francisco.