Lowey, Hall and Spano Highlight Critical Failings at the Indian Point Nuclear Facility

White Plains, NY – Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-Westchester/Rockland), Congressman John Hall (D-Hudson Valley), Westchester County Executive Andrew Spano, and Westchester County Department of Emergency Services Commissioner Tony Sutton today held a press conference to highlight continued safety and structural failings at the Indian Point Nuclear Facility.

 

Congresswoman Lowey and Congressman Hall announced legislation that would require the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to distribute funds collected as fines for safety violations to counties surrounding nuclear facilities, which are charged with maintaining radiological emergency plans. Currently, all fines paid to the NRC, as with any federal agency, are deposited directly into the U.S. Treasury. Senator Clinton is introducing companion legislation in the Senate.

 

“I believe that Indian Point represents an unacceptable threat to our region and should be shut down,” Lowey said.  “However, as it remains operational, the surrounding counties should not be forced to bear such great financial burdens in preparing for an emergency situation involving the plants, especially given Entergy’s repeated safety and security failures. If Entergy cannot get a simple siren system to work, it raises obvious questions about the overall safety at the facility. As their inaction on installing the siren system continues to put our community at risk, it makes sense that the fines for these penalties be used to help protect our communities.”

 

“The counties surrounding Indian Point have been saddled with the almost impossible burden of maintaining a workable emergency response plan for the plant,” Hall said. “The plant’s location in the New York metro area and compromised safety record have placed extra pressure on these counties to make sure that local residents are notified in the event of a serious safety incident. These plans are supported at local taxpayer expense, and the fact that Indian Point’s siren and warning systems still cannot be considered reliable puts even more strain on local budgets. The legislation we are proposing today would restore some fundamental fairness to this system by making sure that if Entergy is fined for a safety violation, the proceeds of that fine will be used to lighten the load on local taxpayers and help make sure that county governments can be prepared.”

 

“We wholeheartedly appreciate and support Rep. Lowey and our entire federal delegation for introducing this legislation,” said County Executive Spano. “It is only fair that any future fines levied against Entergy be directed to the counties who expend far more in emergency planning than they receive. Westchester, for example, has received $412,500 each year for the past ten years, while spending roughly ten times that amount since September 11th.  To put this in perspective, the $130,000 fine previously levied, and given to the government is miniscule in terms of importance to the federal treasury, while to Westchester, it would have been used to relieve some of the burden Indian Point places on our taxpayers.”

 

Congressman Eliot Engel said, “Using the money from fines on Entergy is a just solution to the company’s endangering its neighbors. Indian Point should be shut down, but until we can make that happen, let us use this money to help the surrounding communities. “

 

In May of this year, Congresswoman Lowey and Senator Clinton sent a letter to the NRC backing a call by Westchester County to have the NRC dedicate the siren fine levied against Entergy Nuclear Northeast for emergency planning in the areas surrounding Indian Point.