FROM: RIVERKEEPER
Contact: Lisa Rainwater, Riverkeeper
914-478-4501 x. 221

For Immediate Release: May 2, 2007


RIVERKEEPER CHALLENGES NRC DECISION TO RESTRICT PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN RELICENSING PROCESS
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Federal Agency Cutting Corners Not Inline with Democratic Society

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Congressional Delegation Demands ‘Robust Series’ of Public Meetings

(Tarrytown, NY) Today Riverkeeper called on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to reinstate former NRC policy ensuring two separate, critically important public meetings during the initial phase of the relicensing process. On April 30, 2007 Entergy Nuclear Northeast submitted its relicensing application for the Indian Point nuclear power plant located in Buchanan, New York, setting in motion the NRC’s license review process, including public involvement in the process. According to information obtained from the NRC’s website [www.nrc.gov], the federal agency charged with public health and safety regarding commercial nuclear reactors cut the number of public meetings on relicensing nearly in half, from three to two, greatly diminishing the public’s ability to understand and participate in the nuclear power plant license renewal process.

“Once again, we see the NRC cutting corners in an effort to streamline a process that requires the utmost public understanding and scrutiny,” noted Lisa Rainwater, Indian Point Campaign director for Riverkeeper. “We live in a society based on democratic principles. The public deserves the right to participate fully in this democratic process – cutting corners denies this right. Today, Riverkeeper is calling on the NRC to reverse its decision to stifle public participation in the relicensing of nuclear power plants. The public deserves nothing less.”

On April 30, a bi-partisan Congressional delegation also called on the federal agency to “hold a robust series of public hearings.” The letter, sent by Congressmen John Hall (D-NY), Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), Eliot Engel (D-NY), Christopher Shays (R-CT), and Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY), noted the importance of public participation, “we urge you to make such hearings a prominent feature of the relicensing process, and to ensure that the hearings are fully open to public attendance and participation.”

In August 2006, the NRC reduced the number of public meetings required for the relicensing of nuclear power plants. Prior to this date the official relicensing process included two meetings at the beginning of the process: an initial public information meeting describing the NRC license renewal process and an environmental “scoping” meeting, at which the public could raise environmental impacts that should be included in the Draft Environmental Impact Study (DEIS). Each meeting included a Q & A period for questions and comments. Under the new meeting schedule, these two meetings have been combined into one, effectively cutting the public’s opportunity to comment in a public forum in half. Following this combined meeting, there is one more public meeting after the Draft Supplemental EIS is released by NRC, usually a year after the application is submitted.

“Cutting corners at Indian Point has led to 5-6 times the national average of unplanned shutdowns, a gravely flawed emergency notification system, and a radioactive leak that continues to poison the Hudson River and groundwater,” said Indian Point staff attorney Phillip Musegaas. “Now, we have the federal oversight agency taking the lead from an out-of-state multi-billion dollar corporation. Combining two separate and equally important public meetings into one severely reduces the amount of time allowed to ask questions and submit comments.”


About Riverkeeper
Riverkeeper is a member-supported, not-for-profit environmental organization dedicated to safeguarding the ecological integrity of the Hudson River and the watershed areas that provide drinking water to New York City and parts of four upstate counties by tracking down and stopping polluters. Since 1983, Riverkeeper has investigated and brought to justice hundreds of environmental lawbreakers. For more information, please visit www.riverkeeper.org.

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