Archives

Monthly archive January, 2003

“Guards: We’re ‘sitting ducks’; Indian Point towers mostly for show, guards say” by Wayne A. Hall

“Buchanan – Imagine this: Terrorists break through wire-topped chain linked fences and concrete barriers around the wooded perimeter of the Indian Point nuclear power plants. As they crouch, weave and shoot, the terrorists run into what plant owner Entergy says is a 360-degree field of fire from new defensive shooting towers. The cream-colored towers are...

“Study Warns Attack on Fuel Could Pose Serious Hazards” by Matthew L. Wald

“WASHINGTON, Jan. 29 — A successful terrorist attack on a spent fuel storage pool at a large nuclear reactor could have consequences “significantly worse than Chernobyl,” according to a new scientific study. But it said the risk could be cut sharply by moving some of the spent fuel to dry casks near the reactors and...

“Experience shows Indian Point evacuation would be tough” by Bob Baird

“Among the faults a recent study found with the Indian Point evacuation plans is that drills prove little because no one is actually required to leave the area. While the plant and emergency personnel conduct their test, average citizens go about their day as if nothing is happening. That’s because, for them, nothing is. That’s...

“Government finds nuclear plant attack drills ‘tainted'” by Ted Bridis

“WASHINGTON- Security guards who repelled four simulated terrorist attacks at a Tennessee nuclear weapons plant had been tipped in advance, undermining the encouraging results, the Energy Department’s watchdog office said yesterday. The surprising successes by guards at the Y-12 nuclear weapons plant last summer in Oak Ridge, Tenn., spurred an internal investigation. It determined that...

“Fight over Indian Point may have just begun” by Allan Drury

“Entergy Corp. is threatening a flurry of lawsuits against any government agencies that play a role in closing the nuclear reactors at Indian Point, but legal experts have doubts about whether the suits would succeed. Entergy and its shareholders may absorb billions of dollars in losses if environmentalists, political leaders and worried residents persuade regulators...

“Report on Indian Pt is only effective if those that matter bother to listen”

“Former Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Director James Lee Witt surprised many onlookers with his thorough, independent and honest appraisal of the so-called evacuation plan for the Indian Point nuclear power plants. It was expected in many circles that Witt’s five-month review would consist of nothing more than a political rehash of rhetoric for the...

“3 Counties Maneuver in Bid to Close Down Indian Point” by Randal C. Archibold

“Rockland County yesterday joined an effort by two neighboring county governments to shut the Indian Point nuclear plant by refusing to sign off on plans for a possible radioactivity emergency. The move by C. Scott Vanderhoef, the Rockland County executive, came in response to a report last week that called evacuation plans for the plant...

“Escape plan flawed, county leaders say” by Roger Witherspoon

“Four county executives agreed yesterday that emergency evacuation plans will not protect residents from a disaster at the Indian Point nuclear power plants and asked for a meeting with state and federal officials to determine if the plan could be fixed. The unanimous assessment of the Westchester, Rockland, Putnam and Orange county leaders places increased...

“Indian Point plans rejected again” by Roger Witherspoon

“Orange County yesterday joined Westchester in its refusal to certify the effectiveness of the emergency evacuation plans for the 300,000 people living within 10 miles of the nuclear power plants at Indian Point. Orange County Executive Edward Diana ordered his staff not to certify the plans for the state and said it may be necessary...

“Spano pulls the plug” an Editorial by the Journal News

“Westchester County Executive Andrew Spano has taken the sensible step of withholding his approval of an Indian Point emergency plan that an independent, state-commissioned study has demonstrated would not protect the public. Spano plans today to request the same action from his counterparts in the other counties within the Indian Point evacuation zone: C. Scott...

“Move to Close Indian Point Gathers Steam After Report” by Randal C. Archibold

“WHITE PLAINS, Jan. 14 — The drive to close the Indian Point nuclear power plant intensified today as a coalition of groups urged Gov. George E. Pataki not to certify disaster plans that a consultant hired by the state has called inadequate to protect the public. The environmental group Riverkeeper, joined by 54 other organizations,...

“Demands Grow for Improving Indian Point Emergency Plan” by Matthew L. Wald

“WASHINGTON, Jan. 13 — Demands by elected officials for improvements in emergency plans for the Indian Point nuclear plant grew more strident today, but experts on the workings of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said its history suggested that it would not consider emergency planning problems as a reason to close the plant. The protests, after...