FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                         April 2, 2003

CONTACT:               

Lisa Rainwater van Suntum, PhD—212-544-0045

  CITIZEN COALITION APPLAUDS REPRESENTATIVE KELLY'S TOUGH STANCE WITH FEMA

Kelly Criticizes Federal Emergency Management Agency for Failure to Address 

Safety Concerns of Former Director

White Plains, New York ---(April 2, 2003)—Today the growing grassroots citizen campaign led by the Indian Point Safe Energy Coalition applauds Representative Sue Kelly’s renewed efforts to protect the 21 million residents living within the 50-mile radius from a radiological disaster at the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant, which is located in her district, following her meeting in Washington, DC with FEMA – the federal agency that certifies plant evacuation plans.

“IPSEC praises Representative Kelly’s strong efforts to force FEMA to do its job.  She is ensuring the health and safety of millions of New Yorkers by holding FEMA accountable,” says Lisa Rainwater van Suntum, coordinator for the Coalition’s 58 civic, professional and environmental organizations whose membership represents tens of thousands of New York State residents.   The Coalition’s position is supported by 42 municipalities and over 290 elected officials in the tri-state region who have called for closure of the plant.

 “In light of the Witt report’s final conclusions, we applaud Representative Kelly’s recent efforts to send an urgent message to FEMA and the NRC.  The emergency plan is flawed.  Indian Point must be closed immediately,” says Rainwater van Suntum.

Background

The grassroots movement to shut down Indian Point has gathered momentum in the past months after the affected counties and the State refused to certify the evacuation plan.  However, FEMA, the federal agency that has ultimate authority over ensuring the evacuation plan is certified, has not yet issued their final ruling as to whether the evacuation plans offer reasonable assurance.  Representative Sue Kelly (R-NY) and Congressman Christopher Shays (R-CT) have held congressional hearings on the security and emergency planning at Indian Point, while Congressman Eliot Engel (D-NY) and Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY) have held local hearings.

Meanwhile, Governor Pataki and Mayor Bloomberg have remained silent on closing Indian Point, despite the growing number of elected officials and citizens who are calling for the closure of the nuclear plants, which operate 35 miles from Times Square in the most densely populated area of the United States.

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