Riverkeeper to NRC: Keep the Fines Coming!
|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 24, 2008
2:16 PM
|
CONTACT: Riverkeeper
Renee Cho, Riverkeeper
914-478-4501 x. 239
|
| |
|
Riverkeeper to NRC: Keep the Fines Coming!
NRC Issues Fine Against Entergy for Failing to Bring Workable Sirens to 300,000 Residents Living Near the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant;
Entergy Remains in Violation of Federal Law
|
| |
|
TARRYTOWN, NEW YORK - January 24 -Today Riverkeeper recognizes the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for heeding an earlier call to impose fines against Entergy for leaving residents at risk without a reliable siren system for Indian Point. The NRC announced today that it plans to impose a fine of $650,000 against Entergy for “continuing failure for an extended period of time to comply with NRC Orders” to bring a fully operational emergency notification system with backup battery power online for the Indian Point nuclear power plant. On August 24, 2007, Riverkeeper called on the NRC to levy penalties against Entergy for repeatedly missing federal deadlines. In mid-January 2008 Entergy announced its inability to meet the one-year anniversary of when the new sirens, per the Energy Policy Act of 2005, were required to be operating. Senator Hillary Clinton succeeded in having this requirement added to the Act in response to the NRC’s denial of a petition by Riverkeeper calling for a new siren system. After Entergy failed to meet the second deadline on April 15, 2007, the NRC imposed a fine equivalent to one day’s violation. Most recently, many of the newly installed sirens were found to be corroding, less than one year after they were installed.
Statement by Policy Director Lisa Rainwater:
“It’s a rare and good day when the NRC puts public health and safety before the economic concerns of a nuclear operator. The fed’s penalty on Entergy is financially insignificant to a multi-billion dollar company but does send a resounding message of irritation at Entergy’s ongoing siren antics. Riverkeeper is pleased that the NRC honored our call for penalties, but we will continue to push for additional fines as long as the sirens are not operational. We view the NRC’s penalty as a down payment for the $17 million Entergy should really be paying – if the NRC imposed even the lowest penalty per day per violation according to regulations.”
Riverkeeper is a member-supported, not-for-profit environmental organization dedicated to safeguarding the ecological integrity of the Hudson River and the watershed areas that provide drinking water to New York City and parts of four upstate counties by tracking down and stopping polluters. Since 1983, Riverkeeper has investigated and brought to justice hundreds of environmental lawbreakers. For more information, please visit www.riverkeeper.org.
### |
|
Printer Friendly Version
E-Mail This Article
