Gowanus Canal Cleanup Plan

New York City is proposing an alternative cleanup plan that could prevent the Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn from being designated a federal Superfund site.

City officials say their plan would take about half the time a Superfund project would require.

The alternative would allow polluters to voluntarily pay for the cleanup under binding agreements.

The city says a Superfund designation could set off legal battles and stall the cleanup. They also say the label could scare away developers.

A Superfund designation is reserved for the country's most hazardous sites. It allows the government to pursue polluters and require them to pay for the cleanup.

The 1.8-mile canal was once dubbed "Lavender Lake" for its purplish chemical hue.

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On the Net: www.epa.gov/superfund/

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Information from: The New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com