TASINI CALLS FOR CLOSURE OF INDIAN POINT POWER PLANT

PEEKSKILL, NEW YORK – Jonathan Tasini, candidate for the Democratic nomination for the United States Senate, today called upon the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to immediately and permanently close and decommission the Indian Point nuclear power plant.

“It’s time for the NRC to act and withdraw Entergy Nuclear Northeast’s license to operate the Indian Point plant,” Tasini said. “High levels of radioactive strontium-90, nearly three times the amount permitted in drinking water, have been found in groundwater near the Hudson River beneath the Indian Point nuclear power plants, a situation not found in any of the other 103 operating nuclear plants in the United States. That is unacceptable and endangers the health of many New Yorkers.”

Tasini also called on the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to decertify the radiological emergency plan for Indian Point because the plan fails to adequately protect public health and safety.

As well, Tasini called for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to direct the Indian Point’s owner, the Entergy Corporation, to harden its systems (pools and casks) for storing irradiated “spent” fuel on site.

“Entergy must pay to harden its pools and casks to make sure that the spent fuel on site is secure,” said Tasini. During the process of decommissioning, Tasini said Entergy employees must be retrained and retained to decommission the plants and provided with severance benefits, education and new, comparable employment.