Decommissioning Resources

https://www.theexaminernews.com/hundreds-rally-to-halt-holtecs-radioactive-water-discharge-into-hudson/ ⁴ “Aside from working with the federal government, local state legislators are supporting a bill that⁸ would prohibit radiological discharge into any waterbody in New York State. State Sen. Peter Harckham (D-Lewisboro), Committee, is sponsoring that bill while Assemblywoman Dana Levenberg (D-Ossining) is sponsoring the measure in the lower chamber.” CAll your State Assembly Member and Senator.  Tell them that you support this measure and ask them to co-sponsor.  In Case You Missed It: This is a short video about the effects of releasing tritium into a water body.  Tim Deere-Jones is an expert from the UK and has studied this problem for years. Very distressing when you compare what he is saying to what our regulations allow. 34 views so far.  Click on the link below and amplify! EPA’S Proposed New Plan for Power Plants https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/22/climate/epa-power-plants-pollution.html “Instead of creating one limit that all power plants must comply with, the E.P.A. intends to be flexible, the people familiar with the new plan said. It plans to set various targets based ojn the size of the plant, whether it runs regularly or intermittently, and whether it is already scheduled for retirement. Some coal plants that are scheduled to shut down in the next […]

See full post

Greetings to all Anti Nuclear Friends The Rally on 4/27 at Cortlandt was so energizing!  Protect the Kids, Protect the River, call Governor Hochul was the mantra.  People called her from the Rally so she had something to listen to on Monday when she arrived at work. If you have not called her yet, or even if you have, call now and leave a message.   We have been using the Food and Water Watch number in order to track the numbers: 866-696-8249. If you have a problem call directly: 518-474-8391. If this email is useful click on the link and amplify this message in any way possible! The video by Tim Deere-Jones on the release of tritiated water is included here. If you have not seen it, watch the first part at least.  If you have seen it, watch again and send his information on to your elected officials.  His information on Organically  Bound Tritium is chilling. Decision makers must be made to understand that the regulations in place do not protect us. Share the information now. We must move to a medical model. Marilyn Elie Bonus: More information for those who plan ahead and get more involved To do […]

See full post

https://photos.app.goo.gl/PkPqYeZ1BYbtWZ687 It was a lovely day on the River.  The weather was perfect, the view of the River is sensational from Veterans Park. There were a lot of decision makers present and about 300 people plus 40 kayackers.  Everyone had a good time and left determined to keep radioactive waste out of our glorious Hudson River. Charlie Olson is working on a video and Ecologic will soon have a radio program about the event. Watch for the links in your email. I hope that you enjoy scrolling through the photos. And remember how important it is to keep calling our elected representatives, especially Governor Hochul!  This River is what we are fighting for. Feel free to use the photos in any way that might be helpful. Marilyn Elie Sierra Club, Lower Hudson Group https://photos.app.goo.gl/PkPqYeZ1BYbtWZ687

See full post

Protestors raised their voices and their concerns Saturday about Holtec International’s plans to dump millions of gallons of radioactive wastewater into the Hudson River. The company is in charge of decommissioning the now-closed Indian Point nuclear power plant. Holtec International says it has pushed back the date of the radioactive water dumping to allow more time to address the public’s concerns. The plan to dump that water into the river, however, received plenty of pushback from the demonstrators in kayaks on the Hudson. The “Rally to Save the River” event drew crowds to the Town of Cortlandt to demand a safer method of the wastewater disposal. RELATED: Environmental experts warn Indian Point owner plans to discharge radioactive waste into Hudson River Oversight Board hears from public concerning wastewater discharge plan “There are multiple alternatives to discharging it in the river. Keep it onsite and letting it decay naturally over a decade would be a great way of doing it. There are ideas of shipping it in tanker ships in the middle of the ocean and letting it dissolve and be discharged safely away from humanity is another way of doing it. And other communities have actually injected it deep into the ground, well […]

See full post

Marilyn  Thank you Jim for the link to this amazing 16 minute video. Tim Deere-Jones, an expert on radioactive pollution in marine environments is talking primarily about the release of tritiated water from Fukushima released into the Pacific Ocean.  However, most everything he is talking about, especially in the beginning of the video applies to the Hudson River.   The history of how we got to our present regulations is illuminating.  He does not feel that regulatory agencies have kept up with current studies. This video bolsters what many of our medical experts have been saying.  Share it on social media and make sure your decision makers get a copy. Marilyn ElieIndian Point Safe Energy Coalition

See full post

While the NYT will not be publishing many letters to the editor, I do think that they monitor the volume. It is worth a try to submit as many comments as possible. 4/27/23 Letter to the editor NYT Re: your pro nuclear editorial today Your stance on nuclear power has been obvious for years. The writer has no credentials and she is just plain wrong in her facts and conclusions. And now she has your endorsement to back up her lies. This is just poor journalism. She is the same woman who was part of the Sierra Club “debate” with David Kraft of NEIS not too long ago. She is the one who cuddled up to a fuel rod assembly.   There were two pro nuclear presenters at this event.  David Kraft completely demolished them both. He was accurate, concise and had great visuals.  Here is the video. David goes last. Here is the link to the Amory Lovins video that he did in Eugene, Oregon that demolishes all of the superficial nonsense, economic and otherwise that the NYT is now waving about and promoting.  It is past time that you published a nuclear piece by a real expert. Try Lovins or […]

See full post

Org sign-on letter coverage: https://www.commondreams.org/news/100-groups-to-ny-gov-hochul-don-t-allow-radioactive-waste-dumping-in-hudson-river Virtual hearing: https://westchester.news12.com/oversight-board-hears-from-public-concerning-wastewater-discharge-plan

See full post

https://www.wamc.org/news/2023-04-24/lack-of-clarity-surrounding-indian-point-dumping-plans-prompts-public-pushback “We’re deeply concerned about the discharging of wastewater into the Hudson River. In the next couple of weeks, you’re gonna see hundreds of people fishing here, striped bass are starting to run up there, just south of the Verrazano Bridge,” Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus said. “People are catching them, people are eating them, I wouldn’t want to eat anything that was exposed to water that was from Indian Point, there are other options, and at the bottom line we want them to explore those other options.” The Republican added that the unified front alone should give Holtec pause. “And when you see us all united like this, you know, it’s important to us,” Neuhaus warned. Lack of clarity surrounding Indian Point dumping plans prompts public pushback A lack of clarity regarding Holtec’s plans to discharge radioactive wastewater from the spent fuel pools at Indian Point Energy Center in Buchanan, New York has caused confusion and strong public pushback. Holtec International’s announcement that the company would move up the discharge of more than a million gallons of treated radioactive water from Indian Point, from August to May was met with swift condemnation and public outcry. Now, the company is […]

See full post

https://www.brooklynstorylab.net/blog/dont-kill-the-hudson-river April 27 is really important!  Be there and bring friends!  Cortlandt Town Hall, 4:30 PM Marilyn “The reasonable alternative to dumping this waste in the river and making the Hudson dangerously radioactive for 60 years is storing the contaminated tritiated water in double-lined casks on site for that period of time, and only then allowing it to be discharged. But that is not a solution for a company that would rather pocket unused decommissioning funds than spend them to babysit waste for more than half a century. Holtec would rather oversee a quickie cleanup so it can get the tritiated water off its land and off its hands.” Don’t Kill the Hudson River By Lance Gould The Hudson River flows both north and south. That’s why the Native Americans who populated what is now New York City before the arrival of European settlers called it the Mahicantuck, or “river that flows both ways.” That’s also the name of a classic folk song penned by legendary artist Pete Seeger. It’s quite normal behavior for a tidal river, and it’s an enduring characteristic of New York’s most famous waterway. It’s also a trait that makes a very dangerous decision — dumping […]

See full post

We need a big turnout at the Rally before the DOB meeting on April 27, 4:30 PM, Cortlandt Town Hall to convince Governor Hochul that she needs to take action. Come with signs and noise makers.  Bring friends! See you there!!! Marilyn “When it bought Indian Point in 2019, Holtec International had never decommissioned a nuclear facility before. Yet, the company seems convinced it can do the job decades earlier than planned, while cutting cleanup costs by millions of dollars. Advocates and nuclear experts are concerned that Holtec can’t decommission safely and has underestimated the costs.  The Indian Point project is just the latest installment in the company’s sketchy history. For instance, as Fortune reported, a Tennessee Valley Authority official pleaded guilty to accepting a bribe from Holtec in 2007. The company has also run into trouble with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for safety problems. This history just shows that Holtec is more concerned with quick profits than ensuring public health and safety.”

See full post

Activists, legislators call for Governor Hochul to pass S05181/A05338 Kingston, NY — On Tuesday, Ulster County passed a resolution opposing the dumping of radioactive waste into the Hudson River, joining Westchester and Rockland counties and more than a dozen municipalities in taking a stance on the issue. At a rally before the vote, activists and legislators called on Governor Hochul to stop the dump, and pass S05181/A05338 to prohibit radioactive waste dumping into state waters. Holtec International has announced a dangerous plan to dump up to one million gallons of radioactive wastewater from the Indian Point decommissioning into the Hudson River. The Hudson River is a Superfund site, relied on by seven communities and over 100,000 people for drinking water, including thousands in Ulster County. The wastewater contains several contaminants including tritium. Exposure to this radioactive isotope is linked to cancer, miscarriages, genetic defects and other adverse health effects. There is no safe dose of radiation and its harmful impacts are cumulative. “Radioactive waste does not belong in our drinking water,” said Tara Vamos, Food & Water Watch Hudson Valley Volunteer Leader. “There is no reason to dump toxic nuclear waste into the Hudson, other than to satisfy Holtec’s bottom line. Governor […]

See full post

Disappointed to see the highlighted idea below. https://patch.com/new-york/whiteplains/s/inm7e/rally-set-to-protest-radioactive-wastewater-discharge-in-hudson-river?utm_term=article-slot-1&utm_source=newsletter-daily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter&user_email=b38319743f1d3fc005889683ca815e3e5f83d7ca8828c977f4d257fc394a2f81 Rally Set To Protest Radioactive Wastewater Discharge In Hudson River The Cortlandt supervisor said the rally will go on in spite of Holtec International’s decision to pause the release of treated effluent. Michael Woyton,Patch Staff Posted Fri, Apr 21, 2023 at 2:44 pm ET|Updated Fri, Apr 21, 2023 at 4:14 pm ET Reply (1) A rally to protest the release of radioactive wastewater into the Hudson River is set for May 6. (Entergy) VERPLANCK, NY — A rally to protest plans to discharge radioactive water from the Indian Point nuclear plant into the Hudson River is scheduled in the town of Cortlandt. The Rally to Save the River will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 6 at the Cortlandt Waterfront Park, 77 Riverview Ave. in Verplanck. Cortlandt Town Supervisor Dr. Richard Becker said the rally is going forward in spite of the decision by Holtec International to pause the planned discharge of treated effluent from the site’s spent fuel pools in early May. In a statement issued April 13, a spokesman for Holtec said the company hoped the “voluntary pause will be viewed positively as an indication of our willingness to work together with the […]

See full post

By Liz Schevtchuk Armstrong, Reporter/Contributing Editor | April 21, 2023 Says alternatives can be found The Philipstown Town Board on April 13 unanimously approved a resolution that said the town “strongly opposes” the planned discharge of radioactive wastewater by Holtec from the Indian Point nuclear power plant into the Hudson River as part of the decommissioning process. Several other Mid-Hudson municipalities also have objected to the move, including Cold Spring and Westchester County. The Philipstown resolution called on the state Legislature to adopt a proposed law, drafted by state Sen. Pete Harckham, who represents part of eastern Putnam, and Assembly Member Dana Levenberg, whose district includes Philipstown, to outlaw radioactive emissions into state waterways. Board members acknowledged the difficulty of finding an easy or immediate solution to disposing of the radioactive wastewater. “I don’t know what the answer is, but it’s not dumping it into the river,” Van Tassel said. “Even in my lifetime, you can see the difference in the Hudson. It used to be so dirty. It’s beautiful now. Why would we go backward?” After decades of efforts to restore the river, “there’s no way we should start dumping into it again,” Board Member Jason Angell said. “We can find alternatives,” said […]

See full post

April xx, 2023 The Honorable Kathy HochulGovernor of New York StateNYS State Capitol BuildingAlbany, NY 12224 Dear Governor Hochul, On behalf of the undersigned organizations and our members and supporters, we urge you to prevent Holtec International, the firm responsible for decommissioning the Indian Point nuclear power plant, from discharging approximately one million gallons of radioactive wastewater into the Hudson River. In a recent statement Holtec said that it will resume these discharges as early as May fourth, at the start of the recreation season when thousands of New Yorkers are gearing up to swim, fish, paddle and boat in the Hudson. This is three months earlier than the timetable described by Holtec during a meeting on February 2, 2023. Furthermore, we are deeply concerned about the impacts on the health and safety of local residents, the River’s ecosystem, and local economies. The Hudson Valley region is densely populated and also serves as a recreational area for millions from New York City and across the state. We call on you to use your authority as governor to ensure the necessary state and federal agencies take action to halt the dumping of toxic waste into our waterways including the Hudson River. […]

See full post

Let’s go! We need be both Schumer and Gillibrand to be a bolder and louder but this is a sign the lobbying, all the comments targeted at her/Schumer and organizing is working: Senator Gillibrand was asked by a caller for her position on the Holtec dumping. She said, “I’m going to work very hard to make it impossible for them [Holtec] to release radioactive materials into the Hudson.” Here is this morning’s clip, the Holtec portion begins at 19:32, and the Senator’s comment quoted above is at 23:34: https://www.wnyc.org/story/call-your-senator-sen-gillibrand-her-five-point-aging-plan-expanding-snap-benefits-and-more

See full post

From: Ellen Weininger <eewgrassroots@gmail.com>Date: Wed, Apr 19, 2023, 2:13  Here’s what I have so far: Westchester County Rockland County Ulster County https://legislature.ulstercountyny.gov/sites/default/files/201%20-%2023.pdf Dutchess County: Submitted letters to Governor Hochul and to state legislators opposing Holtec’s plan to discharge radioactive wastewater into the Hudson River City of Beacon Town of Clarkstown Village of Croton-on-Hudson Village of Dobbs Ferry Town of Greenburgh Village of Hastings-on-Hudson Village of Irvington Village of Mamaroneck Town of Mamaroneck Town of Orangetown City of Peekskill Town of Philipstown Town of Stony Point Village of Tarrytown Village of Rhinebeck Town of Rhinebeck Town of Saugerties Village of Wesley Hills Ellen WeiningerDirector of Educational OutreachGrassroots Environmental Education914-422-3141 www.grassrootsinfo.org On Tue, Apr 18, 2023 at 10:28 PM Susan Van Dolsen <svandolsen@gmail.com> wrote: I tried to find all of the links or attachments to the resolutions that have passed and couldn’t find all of them. Is Ellen keeping track? She was trying to get the links from the municipalities and was going to post them on the GEE website. We need to have them accessible. I went to the Rye City Sustainability Committee meeting and they will present the resolution to the City Council next week and hopefully it will pass. I’m also working to get Port Chester […]

See full post

Tritium at Indian Point Tritium is a naturally occurring radioactive isotope that is found in the upper reaches of the atmosphere and rarely occurs naturally on the surface of the Earth. It is produced as a byproduct in the normal operations of nuclear reactors. It has a half-life of 12 years. That means that half of it will decay in 12 years and the half left will still be fully active.  https://g.co/kgs/gPTJbu. Tritium is a beta emitter. That means the weak radioactive emissions from tritium can be blocked by the skin. However, if it is inhaled or ingested it’s emissions disrupt cell functions during the ten days it takes to be excreted from the body. Gordon Edwards, a noted Canadian scientist explains it this way. “Each radioactive particle is like a tiny time bomb, that will eventually “explode” (the industry uses the word “disintegrate”). When an atom disintegrates it gives off projectiles that can damage living cells, causing them to develop into cancers later.” http://www.ccnr.org/fission_fusion_and_sustainability_2022.pdf. The tritium at Indian Point is concentrated in the water of the fuel pools where the highly radioactive used fuel rods were  stored.  What to do with this contaminated water is a problem that must […]

See full post

“My constituents are already overburdened with the negative environmental externalities left behind by industrial infrastructure, and we should not be treated like pawns in this process,” said one local lawmaker about Holtec International’s now-paused plan. Clean water and public health advocates in New York’s Hudson Valley applauded Thursday as the energy technology company Holtec International announced it will not move ahead with plans to dump wastewater next month from the former Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant, following intense pressure from local communities and state lawmakers. The company had initially planned to complete its first discharge of wastewater from pools that were used to cool spent nuclear reactor fuel rods late this summer, but recently announced that in May it would discharge 45,000 gallons of the water into the Hudson River, which at least 100,000 people rely on for their drinking water. The company ultimately plans to release one million gallons of wastewater into the river. Holtec International said it was taking a “voluntary pause” in the plan to better explain the process of decommissioning the plant, which was shut down in 2021, to the local community and elected officials. Local clean water group Riverkeeper expressed appreciation that Holtec “heard the concerns of […]

See full post

The plan to reportedly dump upwards of 1 million gallons into the Hudson River was scrapped this week after thunderous pushback Plans to dump radioactive wastewater from a decommissioned nuclear plant into one of New York’s rivers this spring has been shelved, the company in charge of the facility announced this week. The move follows thunderous pushback from local and state leaders in opposition of Holtec’s plans for the Indian Point Energy Center located roughly 35 miles north of New York City. As part of the decommissioning, the company reportedly planned to dump as much as 1 million gallons of radioactive wastewater into the Hudson River starting this May. “Following conversations with key state stakeholders, who wish to allow for additional public education, we have decided not to go forward with the planned discharge in early May,” the company’s communications director, Patrick O’Brien, wrote to plant’s decommissioning board on Thursday. “While Holtec notes that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has ultimate authority over radiological liquid releases at Indian Point and at other sites across the country, we hope this voluntary pause will be viewed positively as an indication of our willingness to work together with the State and with the […]

See full post

No Dumping Radioactive Waste in the Hudson River! After decades of grassroots advocacy, New York rightfully closed down the Indian Point nuclear power plant. But now Holtec International, the company in charge of decommissioning the plant, wants to dump the radioactive waste from the plant’s spent fuel into the Hudson River this summer, instead of holding and safely breaking down the toxic waste on site. The wastewater from Indian Point’s spent fuel contains tritium, among other contaminants. Tritium is highly radioactive. It’s linked to higher rates of cancer, and it threatens our Hudson River ecosystem. We must not sacrifice our public health and environment simply to appease Holtec’s shareholders. Sign below to tell Governor Hochul and the state legislature to stop Holtec from dumping radioactive waste in our beloved Hudson River! *Your elected officials require the contact information below in order to receive your message. Dear Governor Hochul and State Legislators, Please stop Holtec International from dumping one million gallons of radioactive wastewater from the Indian Point spent fuel pools into the Hudson River. We cannot allow the Hudson River to serve as a dumping ground for nuclear waste. Holtec must keep the spent fuel on site and find an alternative […]

See full post

Double header!Another Co. Exec. statement by Ed Day. Even better with links to agencies! Rockland Says No To Radioactive Waste In The Hudson River Residents of Rockland I am calling on you to exercise your voice and concern surrounding a plan to dump 1 million gallons of toxic waste into the Hudson River in May. Holtec, the company behind the outrageous behavior, expedited the plan to Spring which was initially scheduled for August. Despite pending New York State legislation to ban the discharging of radioactive waste in the Hudson River, a petition with over 400,000 signatures, and multiple municipalities including the County of Rockland signing resolutions objecting to the plan, Holtec is choosing to clearly ignore everyone in elected office and taxpayers of the Hudson Valley who share this river. In fact, all Hudson Valley County Executives were planning a joint-press conference in opposition to this at the end of April well ahead of the initial scheduled dumping in August, which has now been moved up a week in hopes of bringing more attention to this unconscionable and unfathomable snub by this company to the unanimous opposition against this. What’s even worse is they’re justifying the irresponsible move by claiming […]

See full post

https://hudsonvalleypost.com/cancer-causing-radioactive-waste-dumped-in-hudson-river-new-york-hudson-valley-upstate-new-york/ This week, Hotlec announced plans to dump the waste into the river starting in May. “We at the Board of Legislators are outraged at the announcement yesterday by Holtec International that they are moving forward with dumping wastewater into the Hudson River. Then, to add insult to injury, Holtec shortened the timeframe for eliminating the waste from August to May. The decision not to listen to the public’s outcry over the risks to life, but also the fact that they moved up the schedule, prove what a bad actor Holtec truly is,” the Westchester County Board of Legislators states.

See full post

“Harckham noted that while Holtec said it needs to release the 45,000 gallons for maintenance and cleaning, that requirement had never come up during meetings of the Decommissioning Oversight Board. “It reeks of bad faith,” he said.”

See full post

Thank you Senator Harckham! Have you contacted your State Senator and State Assembly person yet?   Tell them how important it is for them to support the bill put forward by Senator  Harckham and Assemblywoman Levenberg to stop the discharge of radioactive waste from decommissioning nuclear plants into the Hudson.  We need the support of all of them. Plan ahead.  Make sure that the next DOB meeting is on your calendar. April 27, 6;00 PM, Courtlandt Town Hall.  PLAN TO ATTEND IN PERSON. Come early for the rally! This is an opportunity to influence decision makers. Marilyn Elie Indian Point Safe Energy Coalition For Immediate Release April 5, 2023 Harckham Rebukes Holtec for Plan to Release Radioactive Wastewater into the Hudson Peekskill, NY – New York State Senator Pete Harckham released the following statement regarding Holtec informing the Indian Point Energy Center Decommissioning Oversight Board (DOB) that it intends to begin releasing radioactive wastewater from the shutdown nuclear power plant into the Hudson River next month. This is three months earlier than when Holtec first announced the releasing of this wastewater would take place. “While we have been in the middle of communications with Holtec centered on finding alternatives to dumping millions of […]

See full post

https://www.wamc.org/news/2023-03-30/indian-point-decommissioning-plans-face-local-opposition … Harckham says given the Hudson’s history, the plan is especially problematic. “We’ve got to get beyond this industrial age notion that rivers are dumping grounds for industrial waste.”

See full post

Byrne came out against the discharge of radioactive wastewater from the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant into the Hudson River as part of its shutdown and dismantling. “Make no mistake; our county received tremendous economic and environmental net benefits when Indian Point was operational,” Byrne said. “Now that Entergy (former owner and operator of Indian Point) is gone after the state essentially forced its closure, our federal representatives must step in and thwart a new environmental threat.”‘

See full post

We passed it on Tuesday. We are in the process of sending it out to elected officials at every level. I will send this to our Mayor

See full post

The Greenburgh Town Board unanimously approved the following resolution urging NYS to make it unlawful for the company decommissioning Indian Point to discharge one million gallons of radioactive wastewater into the Hudson River from a spent nuclear fuel pool. There are significant health, safety and economic risks. I hope that every community in NYS will approve similar resolutions and strongly encourage the State Legislature to approve this important action. Paul Feiner Greenburgh Town Supervisor RESOLUTION SUPPORTING BILL 5181 PENDING IN THE NEW YORK STATE SENATE MAKING IT UNLAWFUL TO DISCHARGE ANY RADIOLOGICAL AGENT INTO THE HUDSON RIVER  WHEREAS, the company decommissioning the Indian Point nuclear facility, approximately 30 miles north of Greenburgh, proposes to discharge one (1) million gallons of radioactive wastewater into the Hudson River upstream from Greenburgh from a spent nuclear fuel pool at the Indian Point facility; and; WHEREAS, Bill 5181 pending in the New York Senate proposes to make it unlawful to discharge any radiological agent into the Hudson River and all other waters of the State of New York, citing “radioactive material poses not only a possible health risk but also a serious economic risk to our communities with potential negative impacts on real estate […]

See full post

RESOLUTION IN OPPOSITION TO THE DISCHARGE OF CONTAMINATED WATER INTO THE HUDSON RIVER The City/Town/Village of_______________ strongly opposes the plan to release over a million gallons of contaminated water from the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant site into the Hudson River. To date there has been no specific reporting of the radionuclide contents of this water which is heavily contaminated from the storage of spent nuclear fuel. Pre-release filtration to remove these isotopes has been presented as a solution to reduce the content of these carcinogenic contaminants to a level “as low as reasonably achievable; however the National Academy of Science has indicated that there is no verifiable safe level of these isotopes when they are ingested or inhaled. In addition, such pre-release treatment will not remove tritium, also carcinogenic, from the water.Any contaminants in the Hudson present the risk of entering the food chain. There are community members who depend on fish from the river as a food source. In addition, there are seven communities upriver who source their drinking water from the Hudson. Since the River is an estuary that flows from south to north as well as from north to south, this fact must be considered. In […]

See full post

Stop the Dumping of Radioactive Contaminants into the Hudson River! Act Now! Watch the video and amplify it on social media or other lists.   Send a copy of the Resolution banning dumping in the Hudson River to your town officials.  Ask them to adopt it. Send them the link to this video.  Make sure that your community gets involved. Look at the description under the video for the Resolution and other helpful links. Marilyn Elie Is tritium dangerous to human health?  In the past it was considered relatively harmless a radioactive isotopes go. Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulations on tritium date back to 1977 and do not consider the harm done by ingested or inh[aled tritium. More recent medical stories paint a different picture…

See full post

As a subscriber I share this for educational purposes.   Plan for radioactive waste challenged  ByNancyKern Columbia-GreeneMedia Environmental advocates are keeping a wary eye on plans by the Indian Point nuclear power plant to resume dumping of radioactive wastewater into the HudsonRiver. GreeneandColumbiacounty residentsareinvitedtoafreewebinar about the plan by the firm in charge of decommissioning ofthecontroversialpowerplant. Holtec has indicated they will begin the discharge of wastewater as early as August. According to the 2021 research study by Hideke Matsumoto titled “Health Effects Triggered by Tritium,” laboratory miceexposedtotritiumhad shorter lives than control mice. Pregnant female mice exposed to tritium gave birth to mice with learning disabilities and smaller brains. David Lochbaum, a member of the Indian Point Decommissioning Oversight Board, confirmed the study’s general conclusion that exposure to radioactive waste corresponds to higher cancer rates. But recent studies of the aquatic life and vegetation in areas surrounding Indian Point show that the wildlife had no accumulation of tritium. “I’m kind of confused why Riverkeeper is fighting Holtec’s resumption of dumping,” he said. “They agreed to drop their safety claims and challenges in exchange for the plant shutting down. They signed the agreement.” Riverkeeper, a nonprofit that has as its mission the protection of […]

See full post

Yes, the water in the fuel pool is tested periodically.  Results must go to the NRC and must be below what the NRC  calls below regulatory concern.  My understanding is that the results are released to the public annually – which in my opinion makes them worthless. This goes back to the regs that we’re made in the 70’s and have nothing to do with what has subsequently been discovered by medical experts. It seems that a lot of people do not care about the rate of contamination and have moved to the position of no dumping in the Hudson River.  Sierra will have to be more circumspect but when I talk about this publicly I do not discourage this viewpoint.  Keep it on site, probably in tanks.  In 75 years it will all be decayed and will be harmless.  I think the forthcoming discussion will be keep it in the fuel pools or put it in tanks.  Not sure how much the public will need to be involved.  I see it as a Holtec problem.  We just need to be sure that there is a solid monitoring system in place. As for the legality of Peter’s legislation – there […]

See full post

Hi Jacqui, Per our conversation yesterday, I am not certain what modifications, if any, can be made to the Indian Point/Holtec resolution after it was passed on Wednesday. As far as sending the resolution to more officials than were listed at the bottom of the resolution, as passed, if that can be done, I am forwarding your suggestions below to the Legislative Operations Coordinator, who handles that task, as well as Legislative Counsel and the Legislative Clerk for their review and direction. I know you were a key person in generating the public interest and getting people to write to the legislators, so now that you are in possession of the copy of the resolution I sent you, you and any member of the public is free to send said copy to any and all public officials you like, along with your thoughts in opposition to the toxic dumping. Thanks again for your kind words and I am happy I could help in any way. We all want a healthy river! Sincerely,Pamela A. Sitomer From: jacqui drechsler <jacquiflute456@gmail.com>Sent: Friday, March 10, 2023 9:03 AMTo: Sitomer, Pamela <SitomerP@co.rockland.ny.us>; Cornell, Harriet <CornellH@co.rockland.ny.us>Subject: Municipal Resolution Instruction Sheet.pdf – Google Drive ATTENTION: This email came from an external source. […]

See full post

Westchester: Legislature Opposes Discharge The Westchester County Legislature on Monday (March 6) unanimously adopted a resolution opposing a plan to empty the spent fuel pools at the Indian Point nuclear power plant near Peekskill into the Hudson River. On Wednesday, Rockland County legislators did the same, although an effort has stalled in Putnam. The two resolutions also expressed support for a bill in the state Legislature introduced by Sen. Pete Harckham and Assembly Member Dana Levenberg that would ban any person or company from discharging nuclear waste into the waters of the state. Holtec International, which is decommissioning Indian Point, has said it plans to discharge the water by early September. Although it would be filtered, the water contains tritium, a radioactive material that is extremely difficult to remove. The company has not yet announced how much water would be released, although several external estimates have calculated it to be 1 million gallons. Holtec says the radioactivity of the water will be far below allowable federal limits. Nancy Montgomery, who represents Philipstown and part of Putnam Valley on the Putnam County Legislature, said on Wednesday that she and Legislator William Gouldman, who represents the rest of Putnam Valley, in February proposed a resolution opposing […]

See full post

Rockland County joins Westchester County in mounting opposition to Holtec International’s plan to dump radioactive waste from the Indian Point nuclear facility into the Hudson River On Wednesday, in a 16-0 vote, the Rockland County Legislature unanimously approved a resolution calling on Governor Hochul and relevant agencies to stop Holtec International from dumping toxic waste into the Hudson River. Rockland became the second county in the Hudson Valley region to oppose Holtec’s polluting plan, just two days after the Westchester Board of Legislators took similar action. Holtec International, the company in charge of decommissioning the Indian Point Nuclear Plant, wants to dump one million gallons of toxic wastewater from the plant’s spent fuel pools into the Hudson River. The company’s waste has several contaminants including tritium, a radioactive isotope that can lead to cancer when inhaled, ingested or absorbed through the skin in large quantities. Seven communities and over 100,000 people rely on drinking water from the Hudson River. Santosh Nandabalan, Senior New York Organizer with Food & Water Watch issued the following statement: “To allow the immense discharge of toxic, radioactive waste into New Yorkers’ drinking water is to privilege corporate expediency over public health. One by one, Hudson Valley authorities are taking […]

See full post

Feb 17, 2023 Read the letters on page 4 of the February 17, 2023 week’s edition of  Highlands Current. Rich Burroni, Holtec, says that the company has the necessary permits to release the fuel pool water into the Hudson. https://highlandscurrent.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/02-17-23.pdf

See full post

To the Editor:  Holtec Vice President Rich Burroni may not want us to use the term “dumping” about the company’s planned release of radioactive water into the Hudson River this summer. But whatever you call it, the point is that it’s a bad choice – for the seven communities that draw their drinking water from the Hudson, the people who swim, boat and fish in the River and the children who play along its banks – not to mention the fish and River life. Several nuclear experts, including Ed Lyman, director of nuclear power safety at the Union of Concerned Scientists, and Arnie Gundersen, chief engineer of Fairewinds Energy Education, have stated that the best solution would be to leave the water where it is, in the fuel pools emptied of the fuel rods, allowing the tritium (which can’t be separated out of the water) to decay over time into non-harmful helium. Lyman has said, “Keep storing indefinitely and eventually the problem will solve itself.”  Federal regulations allow 60 years for decommissioning. Spent fuel could remain at the site even after the decommissioning is completed, according to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Buchanan Mayor, Theresa Knickerbocker, wants Holtec to complete the decommissioning in the shortest possible time […]

See full post

Radioactive waste has been released into the Hudson River for as long as Indian Point has existed.  It was accepted as part of regular and routine operation of the plant.  The effects of these releases were not considered from a medical perspective. It was only necessary that they be “below regulatory concern” according to standards set by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in the 70’s.  The plant is no longer operating.  We now understand more about the adverse effects of tritium on human health and our ecosystems.  We need a different plan.  What was done in the past is no longer acceptable. Marilyn Elie

See full post

Greetings Activists,  Have you talked with your legislators yet about passing the Resolution about dumping tritium into the Hudson River yet?  It can be as simple as printing out the Resolution and mailing it to your Board member or town supervisor with a note requesting that your town sign on.  Or emailing it. Talking points have gone out as has the paper on tritium.   If you want help with this call or text me at 914-954-6749. You might want to go to a Town Board meeting in person and introduce it there.  People usually have 3 minutes to talk at some point during the meeting. It is always good to go with a friend. When your municipality passes the Resolution please let Ellen Weiniger know as she is tracking where it has passed.  Her email is eewgrassroots@gmail.com. https://www.politics-prose.com/book/9781624294471 The author of this book is widely known and highly respected for his work in the field of nuclear energy.  Here are different reviews from scientists in regard to his new book on tritium. What follows  is an excerpt from one of the reviews. . “For decades, it has been claimed that tritium is a minor hazard, dispersing widely in water, that its […]

See full post

This article lays out a detailed picture of what it means to release one million gallons of radioactively contaminated water containing tritium  and other radioactive isotopes into the Hudson River.  It also offers a solution. https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2023/02/24/mhus-f24.html “An effective decontamination strategy would be to simply keep the wastewater contained on site to allow the natural decay process to proceed. Retention for approximately 25 years would reduce the quantity of tritium by 75 percent, making release into the environment less problematic. After 60 years, 96.4 percent of the stored tritium would have decayed. The NRC allows 60 years for decommissioning and spent fuel rods can remain on site for longer. However, that would require ensuring that containment was maintained throughout that time to prevent leakage into the surrounding groundwater, entailing long-term monitoring, maintenance and associated expense. Leaks in two containment tanks at the facility have already been detected. It should be noted that the tritium standards have not been updated for 50 years and may be out of date.”

See full post

Feel free to copy, adapt, whatever – and send it on. Thanks for your help, Judy Dear Mr. Slater: As a 43-year resident of Putnam County, 14 miles from Indian Point, I am very concerned about Holtec International’s plan to discharge a million gallons of radioactive water from the fuel pools at Indian Point into the Hudson River this summer. Senator Pete Harckham and your Assembly colleague Dana Levenberg have introduced legislation (S.5181) to prevent Holtec from discharging the water, in order to protect New York State residents (about 100,000 of whom source their drinking water from the Hudson) from the possibly tragic effects of this planned action. I am writing to request that you support passage of the bill, and add your voice to the elected officials who are putting the health and safety of Hudson Valley residents over partisanship. No matter what political party people belong to, everyone drinks water. We are striving to protect our children and grandchildren from harm, and we hope you will join us. I am attaching a fact sheet which I hope you will read. If you have any questions, please let me know. Thank you for putting the health and safety of the […]

See full post

https://midhudsonnews.com/2023/02/26/lawmakers-propose-bill-to-ban-the-release-of-radioactive-waste-into-waterways/ In order to move ahead on decommissioning the owner, Holtec, must empty the pool that stored the high level radioactive fuel rods.The water is contaminated with different radio active isotopes which could actually be stored on site along with the spent fuel rods. “After decades of tremendous efforts to clean up the Hudson River, the idea of anyone dumping radioactive water into this estuary, the economic lifeblood of our region, is simply outrageous,” said Harckham.  The proposed legislation includes sanctions of $25,000 per day, then $50,000 per day for a second violation, and $150,000 per day per violation after that for any infractions of the rule.”

See full post

“The river has a history of pollutants being dumped into it, and some 200 river miles are classified as a superfund site by the Environmental Protection Agency. During a forum about the implications of Holtec’s actions, physicist Dr. Helen Caldicott described some of what could end up in the Hudson, such as tritium.”

See full post

This article in Scientific American from 2014 is the most comprehensive discussion of tritium that I have read. As far as I can tell nothing has changed with tritium since then. It covers all the angles and does not try to force any one conclusion on the reader. A long read but well worth it. Marilyn Elie “This new evaluation is likely to prove challenging, however, as tritium is difficult to get a grip on from both a radiological and human health perspective. On the one hand, there is evidence that the risk from tritium is negligible and current standards are more than precautionary. On the other, there is also some evidence that tritium could be more harmful than originally thought. Or, as a health physicist who has studied tritium for years observes, in the 1970s, the EPA did not rely on any health studies in setting its original standards. Instead, the EPA back-calculated acceptable levels of tritium in water from the radiation exposure delivered by already extant radionuclides from nuclear weapons testing in surface waters. “It’s not a health-based standard, it’s based on what was easily achievable,” remarks David Kocher of the Oak Ridge Center for Risk Analysis, who has evaluated health risks from […]

See full post

Dear Mr. Slater: As a 43-year resident of Putnam County, 14 miles from Indian Point, I am very concerned about Holtec International’s plan to discharge a million gallons of radioactive water from the fuel pools at Indian Point into the Hudson River this summer. Senator Pete Harckham and your Assembly colleague Dana Levenberg have introduced legislation (S.5181) to prevent Holtec from discharging the water, in order to protect New York State residents (about 100,000 of whom source their drinking water from the Hudson) from the possibly tragic effects of this planned action. I am writing to request that you support passage of the bill, and add your voice to the elected officials who are putting the health and safety of Hudson Valley residents over partisanship. No matter what political party people belong to, everyone drinks water. We are striving to protect our children and grandchildren from harm, and we hope you will join us. I am attaching a fact sheet which I hope you will read. If you have any questions, please let me know. Thank you for putting the health and safety of the people in the 94th Assembly District first. Judy Allen United for Clean Energy (U4CE) 24 Seifert […]

See full post

Have you talked with your legislators yet about passing the Resolution about dumping tritium into the Hudson River yet?  It can be as simple as printing out the Resolution and mailing it to your Board member or town supervisor with a note requesting that your town sign on.  Or emailing it. Talking points have gone out as has the paper on tritium.   If you want help with this call or text me at 914-954-6749. If you think that there may be opposition you might want to go to a Town Board meeting in person and introduce it there.  People usually have 3 minutes to talk at some point during the meeting. It is always good to go with a friend. When your municipality passes the Resolution please let Ellen Weiniger know as she is tracking where it has passed.  Her email is eewgrassroots@gmail.com. The book review of Arjun’s new book on tritium follows after the Resolution. RESOLUTION IN OPPOSITION TO THE DISCHARGE OF CONTAMINATED WATER INTO THE HUDSON RIVER WHEREAS, the company decommissioning the Indian Point nuclear power plant has announced its intention to release water from onsite radioactive fuel waste pools into the Hudson River; and WHEREAS, to date there […]

See full post

Radioactive waste has been released into the Hudson River for as long as Indian Point has existed. Itwas accepted as part of regular and routine operation of the plant. The effects of these releases werenot considered from a medical perspective. It was only necessary that they be “below regulatoryconcern” according to standards set by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in the 70’s. The plant is no longer operating. We now understand more about the adverse effects of tritium onhuman health and our ecosystems. We need a different plan. What was done in the past is no longeracceptable. ● Holtec has stated it plans to discharge a million gallons of radioactive water from the highlyradioactive fuel pools at Indian Point into the Hudson River as early as August this year, orpossibly before.● The tritium at Indian Point is concentrated in the water of the fuel pools where the highlyradioactive used fuel rods were stored. Tritium cannot be filtered out of water. If it is ingestedor inhaled it lodges in cells and affects the DNA. The estimates regarding “acceptable” orALARA (“As Low As Reasonably Achievable”) levels do not take into account the effect ofingesting these radionuclides. According to Gordon Edwards, president, Canadian Coalitionfor […]

See full post

Friends and Colleagues – Here is a link to my slide show from this morning’s webinar “Nuclear Power on the Battleground (Ukraine)”.www.ccnr.org/GE_Nuclear_Ukraine_2022.pdf . This morning there was a zoom discussion/webinar on the Russian capture and occupation of two nuclear power plants in Ukraine:the Chornobyl NPP near the border with Belarus, and the Zaporizhzhia NPP on the Dneiper River in the southwest part of Ukraine,near the largely Russian-speaking Dombass region. I was honoured to be a co-presenter with Dr. Olga Kosharna of the Ukrainian Nuclear Society, and Andrey Ozharovsky, a physicist from Moscow.The video will soon be available – it will be posted on the “DiaNuke” web site and (hopefully) on the CCNR web site. Cheers, Gordon.

See full post

The annual reports, and related info, for Indian Point is available online at:https://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operating/ops-experience/tritium/plant-specific-reports/ip2-3.html On the left-hand side of that webpage, oen can go to the webpages of the annual reports for other nuclear plants. Thanks,Dave

See full post

The NRC got an earful of knowledgable concerns and comments last Thursday. About 50 people attended and the tone was different from any meeting in the past, certainly more civil. It was calm without the presence of union members or the usual pro nuclear contingent. The meeting was transcribed and will be posted on line. Some people had written comments which will be collected and shared.. Others said they needed to see the transcript “so I can remember what I said.” The phone line did not work. It is not clear how many people tried to call in.. The reason given was that a storm took down some Verizon lines. Which may be true. The NRC met with local elected officials at 2 PM on Thursday also. They got a litany of concerns about monitoring, the pipeline and other issues. Many were well-versed and knew what they were talking about thanks to the many forums organized by Manna Jo Greene, Clearwater’s Environmental Director. We now need written comments to the NRC. Manna has provided an impressive template filled with facts. It is organized by topic. If you know what your concerns are just write them up and send them to […]

See full post

If the links are not working maybe you can open the pdf.  Cortlandt and Buchanan were at the table for these negotiations that started back in March.  All parties signed a confidentiality agreement. Marilyn

See full post

Here’s what was sent to every member of the NY State Senate and Assembly. Identical to each group except for the greeting.

See full post

Hi Friends,In addition to the horrendous racism inherent in the CIS proposal, how can anyone seriously consider shipping the damaged SNF canisters from San Onofre and SNF canisters from other national reactor sites for long distances after looking at the following three items? (Apologies if you’ve already seen these.) 1) Check out this recent video from Las Vegas news re a huge radioactive reactor pressure vessel from San Onofre being moved to Utah.  The reporter is amazed that it’s going right through town!  Had it also traveled through Los Angeles and other towns?https://www.reviewjournal.com/local/local-las-vegas/decommissioned-nuclear-reactor-to-hit-nevada-roads-monday-2062535/Now there’s also a push for all so-called low level waste from San Onofre decommissioning to be dumped into a regular landfill in Utah to save $ and as you know, to establish this as a new NRC practice for so-called VLLRW all over the country! 2) June 4 there was a rail car fire from a non irradiated fuel rod that combusted from the jiggling which formed pyrophoric zirconium dust.  The resulting fire was radioactive. (attached report below) Imagine if it had been one of the many thousands of intensely irradiated fuel rods like they’re planning to move to NM or Texas! Here’s an excerpt from the […]

See full post

Thank you Donna and Paul for a glimpse of what lies ahead in decommissioning Indian Point if Holtec gets the job.   You and Paul have provided an accurate picture of inferior Holtec canisters, their indifference to safety, lack of transparency and their laser focus on quick and dirty work in order to maximize profit at the expense of safety for the community now and in  the future.   This is information that all of us working on Indian Point and the pipeline need to understand and take to our legislators. It is what will happen here if we don’t  stop it. It is new and critical information and one more reason we need a NYS State Oversight Board. Marilyn Paul Blanch takes on the lies from Edison on this Letter to the Editor. https://www.thecapistranodispatch.com/letter-to-the-editor-songs-attempts-to-mislead-the-public/ From Donna: I submitted the following additional comments to the Patch to expand on these and other NRC, Edison and other US nuclear facility lies on nuclear waste storage and transport.  For decades, the technical licenses of the dry storage systems required measuring radiation levels at the inlet and outlet air vents of the structures where thin-wall canisters are stored. Canister radiation levels (from cracking leaking canisters) will […]

See full post

The public comment period on the sale of Indian Point has been extended and the buyer has agreed to meet in Westchester.​ Holtec International estimate the decommissioning of Indian Point will cost $2.3 billion. (Entergy) CORTLANDT, NY — Requests for more opportunity to learn about and comment on Entergy’s plan to sell the Indian Point nuclear facility to Holtec International have borne fruit. The Hudson Valley’s representatives in Congress announced yesterday that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has extended the comment period to March 25, and the Westchester County Executive announced that Holtec has agreed to a public meeting in March. Units 2 and 3 are scheduled to shut by 2022. Holtec would decommission the nuclear plant, store radioactive materials and clean up the property. Entergy and Holtec submitted a license transfer application to the NRC Nov. 21. Holtec has estimated the cleanup of the Hudson riverfront property will cost $2.3 billion. The company has also asked the NRC to let it divert $632 million from New York’s nuclear plant decommissioning trust fund to cover the cost of managing the highly radioactive spent fuel rods. Without the plant’s payments in lieu of property taxes, the school district, village and town budgets […]

See full post

Dear Constituent, I wanted to bring your attention to a few things that may be of interest to you. Write to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) about Indian Point One of the most pressing issues for our community is the upcoming decommissioning of Indian Point Energy Center. As some of you may know, I have become increasingly concerned about Holtec, the company who has submitted a request to take on the decommissioning of Indian Point. After looking into the company’s history, I fear that they might not take seriously the procedural safeguards that are necessary to safely shut down Indian Point and protect the spent fuel rods on site. I am asking you to join me in writing to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) so that we can hold Holtec accountable and be sure that our community is kept in safe hands. I am requesting that the NRC take some of the technical, fiscal, and ethical concerns surrounding Holtec into more serious consideration, and that they set up a public hearing to answer questions from the community. As part of this effort I want to direct you to the NRC website where you can voice your comments and concerns up […]

See full post

Riverkeeper’s guide to what is wrong with the PSDAR: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ngxQL-Q9e9_cJmshcm9cJLN2-7VFj6xTNKUWfTpQKG0/edit?usp=sharing

See full post

Hi, all — WNYC, the flagship NPR station in New York, has posted its story on Holtec and Indian Point.  It’s even-handed, giving some space to the other side, which is to be expected, but within that I think it’s quite good.  There is more detail in the audio version than the shorter written version — see: https://gothamist.com/news/company-poised-dismantle-indian-point-radioactive It should air on WNYC today.  NPR national may pick it up (if impeachment doesn’t swamp it) Fred Mogul will pitch it to his contacts on the national desk.  He says he will definitely do more stories on Holtec and IP, and asked me to keep him updated, which I’m doing. Manna et al you have the option of citing this story in tonight’s meeting.  I would listen to the audio version and compare it to the written one, because the audio version has some more damning details compared to the written one. Best,Steve

See full post

Holtec International believes it can complete decommissioning of the three nuclear reactors at the Indian Point Energy Center in upstate New York in 12 to 15 years at a cost of $2.3 billion, according to a new filing with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Power company Entergy said in April it would sell the Buchanan, N.Y., plant to the New Jersey energy technology specialist. That will require the NRC to approve the transfer of Indian Point’s reactor and spent-fuel storage licenses, which the companies hope will happen by May 31, 2021, Holtec said in its post-shutdown decommissioning activities report (PSDAR). In the PSDAR, Holtec said it would begin active decommissioning (DECON) immediately upon taking possession of the property. “The plan described in this PSDAR and the cost estimate provided in Enclosure 1 reflect HDI’s current decommissioning plan resulting in obtaining NRC issuance of a license amendment reducing the IP1, 2 & 3 licensed area to the [independent spent fuel storage installation] and permitting partial site release within 12 years of sale closure and license transfer,” the Dec. 19 document says. “While the cost estimate presented herein is based on a 12-year schedule for partial site release, HDI expects that the […]

See full post

I do not see how these figures would allow Holtec to clean up the millions of gallons of contaminants under the plants. https://www.exchangemonitor.com/holtec-projects-2-3-billion-price-tag-indian-point-decommissoining/?printmode=1 Here’s a story on the leaks with the map http://bit.ly/2nYmWl8 And the map: http://rogerwitherspoon.com/docs/ipgroundwatercontaminationmap3.pdf Decommissioning Costs for Indian Point Units 1, 2 and 3 There are three main categories of cleanup for decommissioning at Indian Point. They are license termination, spent fuel management, and site restoration. Unit 1 is estimated to cost $598.2 million total. $485 million for license termination $72.4 million for spent fuel management $40.8 million for site restoration Unit 2 is estimated to cost $701.8 million total. $469.5 million for license termination  $188.3 million for spent fuel management  $44.1 million for site restoration Unit 3 is estimated at just over $1 billion. $583.2 million for license termination $371.4 million for spent fuel management $47.8 million for site restoration. The work would be funded by the decommissioning trust for each reactor.  Under the current contract, anything left in these three decommissioning funds would then pass to Holtec as the license holder, once the sale is complete.  Figures for the amount of money in the decommissioning funds vary.  Compared to existing figures at other reactors this initial budget […]

See full post

https://www.gillibrand.senate.gov/news/press/release/schumer-gillibrand-lowey-demand-answers-from-holtec-on-plans-to-decommission-indian-point This is a pretty good set of demands, though it leaves out the essential issue of what Holtec will do if/when the decom funds run out of money. Pointed questions on that are essential. The potential for the limited liability corp. (LLC) that actually owns Indian Point to declare bankruptcy and leave the decommissioning incomplete is real. And no one believes it’s likely that, under current law and legal precedent, a parent corporation could really be held liable for a LLC’s liabilities in a case like this. Also, unfortunately, the senators and Rep. Lowey don’t seem to know how decommissioning funds were actually created. See the statement below from the press release. “The decommissioning trust fund is like a retirement account for a nuclear power plant that is funded by ratepayers. Every electron that the plant produces and sells over its lifetime has a small fee associated with it that is paid by ratepayers and deposited into a bank account where it accrues interest. …” In point of fact, ratepayers did pay into the decommissioning funds for Indian Point, and all of the money in the trust funds came from the investments paid for by ratepayers. But those charges […]

See full post

With Entergy Corporation Planning to Transfer Indian Point License to Holtec International, Lawmakers Seek Information on How Holtec Plans to Carry Out Decommissioning Activities Once Indian Point Shuts Down Starting Next Year Washington, DC – U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY-17) today sent a letter to Dr. Kris Singh, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Holtec International, demanding answers on how Holtec plans to carry out decommissioning activities at the Indian Point Energy Center in Buchanan, New York. Earlier this year, Entergy Corporation, the current owner of Indian Point, announced that it will sell the plant and seek to have the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) license it to Holtec International. Indian Point is scheduled to permanently shut down starting next year, which will be followed by a process to decommission the plant and remediate and restore the property.  “As the Federal elected representatives for Indian Point and the communities surrounding it, we have a strong interest in providing oversight of the decommissioning process and believe protecting the surrounding communities should be paramount ,” saidSchumer, Gillibrand, and Lowey. “It is critical that the decommissioning process for Indian Point is properly […]

See full post

The NRC has no regulatory authority over the expenditure of decommissioning funds. The licensees submit a Decommissioning Cost Plan to the NRC for review, but not for approval. One authority the NRC does have is to allow some decommissioning funds to be used for dry storage. If the NRC determines there are sufficient funds to do both decommissioning and spent fuel storage, they give an exemption to use some funds for dry storage. By law the decommissioning fund is only for dismantling the facility. In California our Public Utilities Commission required an addition ratepayer fee be collected for spent fuel management, but this isn’t typical. The money is commingled with the decommissioning fund. Donna

See full post

This list was compiled by Kevin Kamps of Beyond Nuclear Just type in the name of the article in your browser to see the full article. See a similarly long list re: SNC-Lavalin’s skeletons in the closet, posted at Beyond Nuclear’s DECOMMISSIONING website section. Radioactive Skeletons in Holtec International’s Closet… Articles, and other posts, listed in backwards chronological order: Posted September 28, 2019 — MA AG Healey sues federal nuclear regulators over Plymouth plant transfer As reported by the Boston Globe. Holtec International has also proposed “temporarily storing” a grand total of 173,600 metric tons of commercial irradiated nuclear fuel at a site mid-way between Hobbs and Carlsbad, New Mexico. The license tranfer from Entergy to Holtec at Pilgrim atomic reactor in Massachusetts, would include ownership, title, and liability for the irradiated nuclear fuel stored on-site. Holtec’s grand scheme is to ultimately transport Pilgrim’s highly radioactive waste to its “consolidated interim storage facility” in NM. Posted September 27, 2019 — Oyster Creek Stakeholder Forum Leaves Locals with Even More Renewed Fears As reported by Tap Into Barnegut/Wareton [New Jersey]. Holtec International was awarded the license to Oyster Creek atomic reactor and ownership of its irradiated nuclear fuel by a U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) rubber-stamp. Holtec […]

See full post

Radioactive Skeletons in Holtec International’s Closet… Articles, and other posts, listed in backwards chronological order: Posted September 28, 2019 — MA AG Healey sues federal nuclear regulators over Plymouth plant transfer As reported by the Boston Globe. Holtec International has also proposed “temporarily storing” a grand total of 173,600 metric tons of commercial irradiated nuclear fuel at a site mid-way between Hobbs and Carlsbad, New Mexico. The license tranfer from Entergy to Holtec at Pilgrim atomic reactor in Massachusetts, would include ownership, title, and liability for the irradiated nuclear fuel stored on-site. Holtec’s grand scheme is to ultimately transport Pilgrim’s highly radioactive waste to its “consolidated interim storage facility” in NM. Posted September 27, 2019 — Oyster Creek Stakeholder Forum Leaves Locals with Even More Renewed Fears As reported by Tap Into Barnegut/Wareton [New Jersey].Holtec International was awarded the license to Oyster Creek atomic reactor and ownership of its irradiated nuclear fuel by a U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) rubber-stamp. Holtec has also proposed to transport the highly radioactive wastes to southeastern New Mexico, for so-called “consolidated interim storage” (CIS). NRC is poised to rubber-stamp that, too.But as with the Oyster Creek license transfer, there is widespread resistance to the Holtec CIS Facility opening in NM. […]

See full post

By Danny McDonald Globe Staff, September 26, 2019, 11:25 p.m. Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station in Plymouth.DAVID L. RYAN/GLOBE STAFF/GLOBE STAFF Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey is suing the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission over the approved transfer of Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station’s license to a company with no prior experience in decommissioning a nuclear power plant. The commission last month approved the sale of the Plymouth plant, which shut down in May after 47 years of producing electricity, from Entergy Corporation to Holtec International. Holtec is a New Jersey-based company that specializes in the storage and transportation of nuclear waste. The company has promised to decommission the site in eight years, well ahead of the 60 years allowed by federal rules. Entergy, a Louisiana-based company, had owned the plant since 1999. State and local officials previously criticized the proposed deal, saying Holtec did not show that its plan has enough safeguards to protect the public. The sale was completed shortly after the commission approved the transfer of the operating license. Healey’s office filed suit against federal nuclear regulators in the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit Wednesday. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission, according to the complaint, “acted arbitrarily and capriciously, abused its discretion” and violated […]

See full post

Sierra club has an excellent toolkit at the Q below.  They are suggesting things that could lead to a real gra inss roots movement.  Included are “drop by visits”  if you can’t  get an official visit, taking a small gift of flowers or a plant to symbolize the Green New Deal, taking a selfie of your visit, posting it to your social media and most important – reporting back to the group or individuals you are working with. Also included are fact sheets and letters ready to give to the electeod official you are visiting.   The campaign they have mapped out for talking with elected officials would work for any issue – Citizens Oversight Board for example. Sierra Club has an ant nuclear group and as was said at the webinar cannot imagine going forward with a green economy that includes nucear power. Check out the toolkit at sc.org/lobbytoolkit.  To see the webinar that introduces the campaign for the GND scroll down to the bottom of the Sierra Club’s home page, www.sierraclub.org.  In Solidarity, Marilyn Elie

See full post

Entergy, the license holder for Indian Point, wants to sell to Holtec for the decommissioning of Indian Point.   The company has run into opposition in its bid to decommission Pilgrim nuclear power plant in Massachusetts. They are planning an accelerated decommissioning schedule, something the company has never tried before and have proposed the same practice for Indian Point. Interesting that the League of Women Voters is involved. – Marilyn PLYMOUTH – The Nuclear Regulatory Commissioncontinues to draw fire from Plymouth residents for its announcement that it plans to approve the license transfer application of Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station to Holtec Inc. The Plymouth Area League of Women voters sent a letter to the NRC chair protesting “in the strongest terms” the decision to grant the license transfer application on or about Aug. 21. It also objected to the decision to deny the Massachusetts attorney general’s request for a 90-day stay and urged the NRC to reconsider “in light of strong state and local opposition.” Dated Aug. 19, the letter was addressed to Kristine L. Svinicki, NRC chair, and was signed by Henrietta Consentino, chair of the Nuclear Affairs Committee of the Plymouth Area LWV. This letter comes on the heels of a petition by a local activist, which has been posted on the town’s […]

See full post

Nuclear waste may not have found a permanent resting place, but 32 bundles of spent fuel rods from the Indian Point 2 plant in Westchester County have found a home suitable for at least the next few decades — a steel and concrete cask surrounded by razor wire, floodlights and surveillance cameras about 300 feet from the reactor building. After years in a storage pool, the more than 6,000 rods, each of them 12 feet long, have been dried out and immersed in helium gas to prevent rust, fitted into slots like eggs in a carton, and sealed in a steel canister for what may be the next few hundred thousand years. Then on Friday the canister, inside the cask, was hauled by a tank-like “crawler” to the new pad, which was designed to survive earthquakes, hurricanes and other hazards. The spent rods altogether will give off about as much heat as a dozen hair dryers running at full power, and the exterior of the cask will reach 80 to 90 degrees. They also give off radiation — a dose of about one millirem per hour — that is about equivalent to what an average person receives a day from natural sources. […]

See full post