[WATCH] New York's $2 Billion Project Fixing Its Most Toxic Canal

New York City is undertaking a massive, multi-billion dollar project to clean up the Gowanus Canal, one of America's most polluted waterways and a federal Superfund site in Brooklyn. For over a century, the canal served as an industrial sewer, accumulating various toxic pollutants, including coal tar and "black mayonnaise" sludge. The cleanup plan, finalized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2013, involves extensive dredging, sediment capping, and the construction of two massive underground combined sewer overflow (CSO) tanks by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to prevent future pollution. Concurrently, the surrounding industrial area is being redeveloped into a major residential district, with projects like Gowanus Wharf (including the 27-story 175 3rd Street, and Society Brooklyn), and the proposed 100% affordable Gowanus Green. This transformation brings concerns about gentrification and building on potentially contaminated land, highlighting the complex balance between urban development and environmental remediation in a highly desirable area.