BUCHANAN, N.Y. (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) — The owner of the defunct Indian Point nuclear facility said it plans to release radioactive water into the Hudson River this summer as decommissioning work at the facility continues.
However, Democratic State Sen. Pete Harckham said New York has put too much effort into cleaning up the Hudson.
"This is not the old industrial age where we situate industry along side rivers so rivers can be the dumping ground for industrial waste," he said.
One million gallons of radioactive waste water will be released into the river in August as part of the nuclear power plant’s closure process, according to Indian Point’s owner Holtec International.
Harckham, who chairs the Senate’s environmental conservation committee, is filing a bill that would levy steep fines if they go through with it.
"We're not trying to impede what Holtec is trying to accomplish," the lawmaker said. "There are other options available. This was simply the most expedient and cost-effective."
Holtec insists in a statement that the releases will be "safe, monitored" and well below federal limits.
"As a part of both the operation of nuclear power plants and during the decommissioning of reactors plants discharge treated liquid effluent according to state and federal permits, and well below safe release limits set by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission," the company said.
"Indian Point is no different, with valid state and federal permits in place the facility has discharged treated water to the Hudson since 1962," their statement continued. "The key is that these releases are safe, monitored, and a fraction of the NRC limit for radiological release."
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