Living a few blocks from a Superfund site is a big deal. We all know that the Gowanus Canal is a toxic and contaminated but making it a Superfund site really validates claims by local environmentalists and community activists who have opposed development along the canal until it is cleaned up.

Yet, the issue is complicated. Superfund status is  not necessarily a panacea. The polluter's tax, which meant that  corporations responsible for the mess had to pay for the clean up, expired in 1995 and its repeal faced big opposition from the Bush Administration.

Would Superfund status actually mean a speedy clean up of the site? One certainly hopes so. Otherwise it's just a name on a list and more years of waiting for a clean up of what is otherwise a beautiful and historic section of Brooklyn.

There is a 60-day comment period about this issue and the public is invited to register their opinions at regulations.gov.

There you will see the Docket title: National Priorites List, Notice of Proposed rulemaking: Gowanus Canal. Make your opinions known!