Cortlandt, NY — On Thursday, environmental advocates and organizations held a rally in support of on-site storage of the radioactive wastewater currently held at the decommissioning Indian Point nuclear facility. The push for on-site storage comes as Holtec, the company in charge of the plant decommissioning, announced a lawsuit against New York State for passage of the 2023 of the Save the Hudson Bill (S6893/A7208), which outlaws radioactive waste dumping into the Hudson River at Indian Point.

Following the rally, nuclear engineer and decommissioning expert Arnie Gundersen outlined a solution for on-site storage at a meeting of the Indian Point Decommissioning Oversight Board. The Board requested Gundersen’s participation in the meeting and submitted questions to him after viewing a video and an in-depth webinar sponsored by the Stop Holtec Coalition. These presentations are available here and here.

Food & Water Watch Senior New York Organizer Santosh Nandabalan said:

“New Yorkers scored a tremendous victory when we successfully passed the Save the Hudson Bill. Radioactive nuclear wastewater does not belong in our water. We call on state leaders to stand strong and ensure on-site storage of radioactive waste at Indian Point, as the safest option for our environment, communities, and regional economy.”

Governor Hochul signed the “Save the Hudson” bill into law in August 2023, after it passed the NYS Senate 63-0, and the NYS Assembly 100-44. The legislation makes it illegal to discharge any radiological substance in the Hudson River in connection with the decommissioning of a nuclear power plant. This legislation was the culmination of advocacy by the Stop Holtec Coalition, a grassroots umbrella group of over 138 environmental organizations, over three counties and 35 municipalities calling for a halt to the dumping, and 450,000 online petition signers.

Safe Energy Rights Group cofounder Courtney M. Williams, PhD. said: “Holtec’s lawsuit is not surprising. They’re here to make money, not be a responsible neighbor. They don’t care if dumping hurts the rejuvenation of our riverfronts and the tourism it could bring. They don’t care if their dumping hurts the health of this community. The Union of Concerned Scientists has predicted Indian Point will flood twice a month by the year 2060. Given that there is nowhere for the nuclear waste to go, we must force Holtec to plan for storing the waste properly onsite. We need the state to stand strong. The Hudson River is the largest Superfund site in the nation thanks to GE and their dumping of PCBs in the river. Imagine if we could go back and stop that contamination. This moment is the closest we’ll get; we need to seize it.”

Tracy Brown, President of Riverkeeper, said: “Federal law allows for states to regulate their own interests, including economic interests. The Save the Hudson legislation is not only an appropriate use of state power, it is necessary to protect New York from the economic damages that would come from using the Hudson River as a dumping ground. Riverkeeper continues to advocate for storing the radioactive wastewater on site for at least twelve years, which is one half-life of tritium, while reasonable and advantageous disposal methods can be determined.”

Tina Bongar, co-organizer STOP HOLTEC Coalition, United For Clean Energy, said:“Now a leading national nuclear engineer and decommissioning expert Arnie Gundersen has said Holtec is capable of storing the wastewater safely on site without jeopardizing tourism and recreation along the Hudson River. Who wants to kayak, fish, swim, drink milk and eat apples from the Hudson Valley if fuel pool water is dumped in the Hudson River? Holtec needs to respect our communities and store the wastewater safely on-site.” 

SD Smith, Attorney General, Ramapough Munsee Lenape Nation, said, “As descendants of the original Munsee people, we recognize our generation to generation relationships with the Hudson River and all that depend on the river for their wellbeing including economic livelihood. The name for the river in Munsee is “Mahicannituk” which means the river that flows both ways. The toxic chemicals produced by the Indian Point will persist in the environment for decades, centuries, millennia and eons in some cases. We must stop using our rivers as toxic waste dumps.”

“The tritiated water at Indian Point is exactly where it needs to be – on the land and not in the Hudson River.  Buchanan has inherited guardianship for the radioactive waste from decades of generation of electricity by nuclear power.  They have lost their biggest business taxpayer and it is hard for the entire community.  None of this should have been a surprise. Since there was no advanced planning, Buchanan will have to do with the State aide they will receive for the next 5 years,” said Marilyn Elie of Indian Point Safe Energy Coalition.

Photos will be available here. Video of the event can also be viewed here.