Bard College will hold a symposium entitled “The Fate of the River” addressing two major environmental threats to the Hudson River on Friday, April 11. The event, which will take place in Olin Hall from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., will explore the river's ongoing PCB contamination and the potential dangers of so-called “bomb trains” carrying volatile Bakken shale oil and other chemicals along the river's west bank.

The high PCB contamination of the river is the result of General Electric's toxic waste dumping in the river over 30 years ago and what advocates say was the failure of a clean-up between 2009 and 2015. The ongoing contamination, advocates say, threatens human health, continues extinction and disease of fish and wildlife and damages river ecosystems, wetlands, groundwater and soil.

Experts from a variety of disciplines including environmental law, public health and community advocacy will present at the symposium. Speakers include filmmaker Jon Bowermaster, Riverkeeper Associate Director of Government Affairs Jeremy Cherson, Food & Water Watch Senior Staff Attorney Erin Doran, SUNY Albany Director of the Institute for Health and the Environment David O. Carpenter, and attorney Florence Murray, who specializes in cases involving environmental disasters.

The event aims to educate the public about these pressing issues and encourage discussion of possible solutions. In the morning, speakers will explore the history and impacts of PCB contamination and the environmental dangers of “bomb trains.” In the afternoon, a panel of experts and a public discussion will explore strategies to address these dangers and advocate for a healthier river. All members of the Hudson Valley community are invited to attend.

“The Fate of the River” is the first in a series of public discussions entitled “Environmental Injustice Across the Americas” focusing on state-sanctioned pollution, water contamination, and the struggle for environmental justice. The symposium is co-sponsored by Bard College's Human Rights Program, Center for Civic Engagement, Center for Environmental Policy, Environmental Studies and the Office of Sustainability.