Indian Point Oversight Board holds 1st public meeting since delay of radioactive water disposal plan

Holtec officials tried to ease people's concerns as it plans to move forward but many community members are calling on the governor to step in.

Jonathan Gordon

Apr 27, 2023, 9:16 PM

Updated 585 days ago

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The Indian Point Decommissioning Oversight Board wrapped up its first public meeting since Holtec announced its plans to delay the release of radioactive water into the Hudson River.
Holtec officials tried to ease people's concerns as it plans to move forward but many community members are calling on the governor to step in.
Dozens of protesters gathered outside Cortlandt Town Hall ahead of Thursday's highly anticipated meeting.
They are calling on Gov. Kathy Hochul to intervene in Holtec's plan to dump water from the spent fuel pools inside Indian Point into the Hudson River as the company works to decommission the former nuclear plant.
Residents say they worry about the impact decommissioning will have on the local environment and want students from the Buchanen-Verplanck Elementary School to be moved during the process.
But the meeting struck a different tone once inside.
Experts testified that the level of toxins dumped into the river is well below nuclear regulatory standards.
Plus, they've said they've been doing it for years.
Holtec reneged on its expedited plan to start dumping wastewater in May after backlash from the local community and political leaders.
It's likely they'll still start the process as early as August.
Some people at the meeting urged Holtec to take a longer pause on its plan to consider alternative ways to dispose of the wastewater. but that seems unlikely to happen.