protest09

 

Protesters from IPSEC and other groups blocked the entrance of Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant on Saturday to mark the expiration of the remaining licenses. Indian Point is now operating without a current license. Despite their peaceful attempt to uphold the health and safety of the community, eleven protesters were arrested and charged with “disorderly conduct”. Media coverage of the situation was substantial.

From our own group comes the following video:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIAlwR7oSFw&w=560&h=315]

The Mid Hudson News Network created this video, featuring IPSEC’s Gary Shaw:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVKdq9kmYfo&w=560&h=315]

News articles focused on the arrests. LoHud ran the headline “Protesters Arrested At Indian Point”. News Channel 12 noted “More Gas Pipeline Protesters Arrested”. The Daily Freeman ran with “Eleven Arrested At Indian Point Nuke Plant Protest” and followed:

“Protestors, grassroots organizations and local residents living within the vicinity of the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3 came together Saturday to protest the continued operation of the facility.

“Eleven demonstrators were arrested for blocking the facility entrance.

“The Indian Point nuclear power plant is about 45 miles south of Kingston City Hall, on the eastern shore of the Hudson River, and 24 miles north of the New York City boundary.

“The original, 40-year operating period permitted by the license for Indian Point Unit 3 was set to expire at 12 a.m. Sunday.

“Protestors blocked the entrance to the facility to dramatize their belief that no one should be able to enter a plant whose licensing period has expired.

“Entergy, which owns and operates Indian Point, applied for license renewal five years before expiration of the licensing period. Under federal regulations, the application gives the company the right to continue operations until the relicensing procedure, being conducted by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, has been completed.

“Owner Entergy is seeking 20-year renewals licenses for both Unit 3 and Unit 2.

“The original license period for Unit 2, which was licensed in 1973, expired two years ago.

“Gary Shaw, member of the Indian Point Safe Energy Coalition, who lives within five miles of the plant, said, even if Indian Point’s license is renewed, opponents want it closed down indefinitely.

“We want the plant shut; the plant never should have been opened in the first place,” he said. “Indian Point is the nuclear plant that the NRC has defined as the nuclear plant in the United States with the highest probability of reactor core damage from seismic activity. Indian Point 3 is one mile from the intersection of two seismic faults.”

“Shaw noted that 20 million people live within a 50-mile radius of Indian Point Unit 3. One of New York City’s water supplies, the Kensico Reservoir, is within 17 miles of the plant and $8.5 trillion of real estate is located within that 50-mile radius.

“Margot Shepart, also a member of the coalition, said “If this nuclear plant would not be allowed to be sited in this location today, with the population that we have in the area, with the roads that we have, etc., it wouldn’t be allowed to be put in such a densely populated area and that’s what needs to be considered. So, that’s a crime, in my mind, that they’re operating now under their old license regulations, which sited the plant in a place that it shouldn’t have been anyway, but the population was much less.”

“The NRC deliberation over the relicensing may take months, or, even years. Until then, Indian Point Unit 3 will continue its operations.

“Entergy also has its Indian Point 2 plant license renewal application under NRC scrutiny.

“Unit 1, which was licensed in 1962, is no longer in operation.”

To read the original article from the Daily Freeman, click the link below:

http://www.dailyfreeman.com/general-news/20151213/eleven-arrested-at-indian-point-nuke-plant-protest

To read the article from LoHud, click the link below:

http://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/westchester/2015/12/12/indian-point-protest-arrests/77211818/

To read the article from News Channel 12, click the link below:

http://westchester.news12.com/news/natural-gas-pipeline-protesters-arrested-in-buchanan-1.11221496