City balks at demands from the feds to s...

City balks at demands from the feds to s...

Christie M Farriella for New Yor

The Gowanus Canal

The city is balking at demands by the feds that they stop dumping raw sewage into the Gowanus Canal.

The feds say the city will have to crack down on the sewer overflows - which spew almost 400 million gallons of sewage into the canal every year - as part of an upcoming Superfund cleanup or else the ambitious cleanup will be ruined because the waterway will quickly get dirty again.

But city officials say the sewage isnt responsible for the toxic sludge at the bottom of the canal, which comes from dec ades of industrialchemical pollution.

At this point we dont feel theyve made a case that would justify such an extreme measure, said Eileen Mahoney of the city Department of Environmental Protection.

DEP did its own analysis of the feds data to prove its not responsible for any risks to human health or ecology.

The sewer overflows are really not whats contaminating the canal with chemicals, Mahoney said.

The city has its own $ 183 million plan it says will reduce sewage flowing into the canal by 45, but the federal Environmental Protection Agency says it doesnt go far enough.

Eliminating or dramatically reducing the sewage overflows, which comes from 11 pipes in the canal, could cost hundreds of millions more.

EPA spokeswoman Mary Mears said sewer overflow controls - beyond those to which the city is currently committed - ...are necessary in order to ensure the long-term integrity of a Superfund remedy for the Canal.

O f course, as a general matter, it is very important that we reduce the flow of raw sewage into urban waterways, she said.

Through the Superfund law, the EPA can move to legally force the city to stop the overflows.

Some advocates criticized the citys reluctance.

We will destroy a thats going to cost an awful lot of money...because the city doesnt want to do anything. We just cant fathom this, said Marlene Donnelly of Friends and Residents of Greater Gowanus.

edurkin@nydailynews.com