Source: General Electric Company (GE) facility in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

Release: Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs).

Primary injury: Significant harm, or "injuries", to the natural resources of the Housatonic River Basin have occurred from the releases of chemical wastes, primarily PCBs, from the General Electric facility in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. This contamination has affected aquatic organisms and their habitats, as well as water-dependent living resources such as waterfowl and predators that consume contaminated aquatic organisms. In addition to the harm done to natural resources, natural resource services have been impaired.

"Natural resource services" are functions or services provided by natural resources for the benefit of humans or other natural resources, such as recreational fishing for humans or nesting habitat for birds. In the case of the Housatonic River Basin, there has clearly been an adverse impact on recreational fishing, particularly with regard to consumption of the catch. There have also been losses of other recreational opportunities (e.g., boating and swimming) due to the actual or perceived risk associated with physical contact with the river.