to those working to close Indian Point

7/30/07

to those working to close Indian Point

Greetings to those working to close Indian Point,

This is part three in a three part series. And is an update on actions that have been taken to close the reactors at Indian Point.

The first e-mail dealt with actions individuals can take now to close the reactors at Indian Point. We are all in this together and a grassroots movement draws strength from the actions its members take. If you have not yet written a letter to Governor Spitzer do it now. If you have not yet contacted your local officials, call them today. If you need help call the IPSEC toll free number at 1-888-474-8848.

The second e-mail dealt with an overview of the relicensing process. As of this writing the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has just officially accepted the application of Entergy to re license both reactors for another 20 years.

Here is an update on what is happening now to slow down the process and over throw what would normally be a sure bet.

Part 3

Update on Current Actions

County Executive Spano's has a court case pending to broaden the criteria for relicensing. This means that more than aging equipment and environmental issues would have to be considered. His suit asks that population density and the evacuation plan be considered as well. A hearing will be held in October.

Attorney General Cuomo has joined this case by filling a friend of the court brief. This is development indicates state support and strengthens the court case. Thank you notes to Cuomo are certainly in order.

The Department of Environmental Conservation won a court case requiring Entergy to install closed cycle cooling as a condition for relicensing. Entergy has appealed this decision. This case deals with thermal pollution and is enormously important to the health of the River. The results of this appeal could have a major impact on relicensing. (While closed cycle cooling is expensive to install, it is not likely that this expense alone would close the plant. It would, however, answer many of the environmental problems posed by thermal
pollution.)

Congressman John Hall is focusing on the Independent Safety Analysis. His proposal is for an independent panel of experts to thoroughly examine all aspects of the plant. Their findings would determine what happens. He has submitted legislation requiring an ISA for Indian Point. The bill is being held in the House Energy Committee. It may be necessary to write to the Chairman of the Committee, Congressman Dingle, to help get it out of committee. Details will follow.

Senator Clinton has had discussions with Entergy executives and asked them to support an Independent Safety Analysis. Their reply was polite but noncommittal.

Clearwater will focus on the discharge and impact of radiological isotopes leaking into the Hudson River.

FUSE, a new grassroots organization, has filed "intervener petitions" and will file "contentions" to keep issues open for court appeal down the road.

Riverkeeper will also be filling "contentions" to the NRC to challenge many points in Entergy's renewal application. Again, this is being done with an eye toward future court action.

IPSEC will continue to focus on grassroots involvement in the
political process. We are a coalition, not a group, so decision
making can be a bit unwieldy as we seek consensus of all of our members. Our web page is currently under for revision. The time line, recent happening and calls for action will be posted there as soon as possible. Until then this listserv is your best bet for prompt and accurate Indian Pint info.

What you can do:

Make sure you pass on any new information to any group of which you are a member.

Make sure it gets into their newsletters and bulletins. Our speaker's bureau is still in operation.

If you and your friends would like to learn more about relicensing or find out the answers to questions like "How can we get along without the electricity IP generates?" organize a meeting of friends and colleagues. Call us at 1-888-I- SHUT-IT and we will provide a person who has the answers.

In the meantime, continue to talk with your friends and local officials about Indian Point and explain why we need to shut down Indian Point. Entergy is spending millions on publicity. We are relying on facts, common sense and dialogue. Nuclear power is neither safe nor clean nor green and we need to build a consensus that we can live better without Indian Point

Marilyn Elie
For the Indian Point Safe Energy Coalition

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Ten Reasons To Say No To Nuclear Power

1. Climate change is underway. Renewable energy can be brought online faster, more cheaply and more safely than nuclear power. 2. Reactors are sitting-duck targets and are not even defended to the ferocity of the 9/11 attacks. 3. Nuclear power is not emissions-free. Reactors routinely release radioactivity and use fossil fuels at every step from uranium mining to waste storage. 4. Building more reactors in the U.S. sends the wrong message abroad. Commercial nuclear technology inevitably leads to nuclear weapons capability. 5. The Yucca Mountain high-level radioactive dump is unsound and even if opened could not accommodate all wastes if generation continues. 6. Evacuation plans are unrealistic. Hurricane Katrina taught us that a mass evacuation during a serious radiological release would be a chaotic catastrophe. 7. A typical 1000 megawatt nuclear reactor produces enough plutonium each year to make 40 atomic bombs, an unacceptable risk. 8. New and old reactors are most prone to break down. U.S. reactors are old. New ones increase the risk of accident. 9. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission—mandated to watchdog the nuclear industry – chooses to protect industry profit over public health and safety. 10. The most defenseless are at the greatest risk—children, the elderly, minorities, the poor and animals—at every phase of the nuclear fuel chain. Ten Brighter Ideas 1. If every U.S. household installed one compact fluorescent light bulb, the power savings would equal the power produced by one nuclear reactor. 1=1! 2. Twenty compact fluorescents in every U.S. home could displace at least 25% of U.S. nuclear reactors. 3. Updated lighting, appliances, heating, cooling and other electrical systems can save more energy than all 103 U.S. reactors produce annually. 4. Cost-effective energy efficiency measures for homes and businesses can save at least 20% of electricity use. 5. Turning off and unplugging electrical equipment not in use and line-drying clothes seem like small measures but can make a big difference. 6. Homeowners and renters alike can choose to buy green power instead of nuclear generated electricity. 7. Properly sealing and insulating your home can save 25%-40% of building heat loss. 8. Renewable energy sources can meet 25% of U.S. energy needs by 2025. 9. Shifting to locally-generated electricity avoids waste, reduces brownouts and blackouts, increases efficiency of service and creates jobs. 10. Every dollar spent on nuclear power instead of fossil fuels results in releasing six times more carbon than if the same dollar is spent on efficiency. www.nirs.org 301.270.6477

"The No Nuker" - where No Nukes is good news !

7/30/07