Letter To The Editor: Pipeline Makes Indian Point Reuse Uncertain

Dear Editors,

For the roughly 80 to 100 concerned residents attending the April 12th Indian Point Closure Task Force meeting in the Cortlandt Town Hall, the results were disheartening. They were hoping for a safe solution for the problem of a gas pipeline near the Indian Point nuclear power plant. That was not to be.

Assemblywoman Sandy Galef was the first to address the issue, stating that she had sent numerous letters requesting the release of Governor Cuomo's Indian Point Risk Assessment. He ordered this study over two years ago to examine the dangers of a large gas pipeline near Indian Point and has still not released it. She had received no response until that morning when she finally received a notice that a partial release might be available in about a month. Galef characterized this response as "disappointing." Buchanan Mayor Theresa Knickerbocker, echoed this frustration stating: "It's our home, we want to see the Risk Assessment."

Later, Planning Consultant D.L. English joining the meeting by phone was asked by an incredulous Galef if the consultant could look at reuse without the risk assessment. English's answer: "... having that report would be great insight. Without having the report, we're at a disadvantage." When asked repeatedly by Westchester Legislator Catherine Borgia and others whether they looked at any third-party assessments, English was evasive, allowing that they only looked at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) analysis. He quoted the NRC as having "no problem with the pipeline" adding the agency "didn't want to discourage development."

It became apparent that the consulting firm never saw the Accufacts report prepared for the Town of Cortlandt by pipeline expert Richard Kuprewicz in November 2014. Reacting to this statement after the meeting, Stop the Algonquin Pipeline (SAPE) cofounder Susan Van Dolsen pointed out: "They are preparing a reuse study without fully analyzing the unique impacts of the co-location of gas transmission pipelines at a nuclear power plant that will have 1500 tons of spent fuel on-site for the foreseeable future. We believe the study will be invalid because it does not involve input from anyone with expertise in pipeline rupture dynamics. They are looking at the easement and at setbacks for gas and electrical transmission lines, but that is not enough. " In a follow-up question, Galef asked: "Can a plan be adjusted after the release of the risk assessment ?" English appeared unsure. John Sipos of NYS Department of Public Service reported that the NRC would be ".. relaxing regulations". Given the lax attitude towards regulation on the national level, this held ominous repercussions for all affected by Indian Point's closure.

Against this backdrop there has been a persistent local effort to pressure the Governor into releasing the risk assessment and to stop the flow of explosive gas near Indian Point, with its forty plus years of irradiated spent fuel. Elected officials including Congresswoman Nita Lowey, Assemblywoman Sandra Galef, Cortlandt Town Supervisor Linda Puglisi and Westchester County Board of Legislators representative Catherine Borgia, have called for the release of the Risk Assessment. Environmental leaders such as Paul Gallay, president of Riverkeeper, Courtney Williams and Nancy Vann, co-founders of Safe Energy Rights Group (SEnRG) have also demanded that the study be made public. Susan Van Dolsen and Amy Rosmarin, co-founders of Stop the Algonquin Pipeline Expansion (SAPE), along with nuclear safety consultant Paul Blanch have submitted Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) requests for the analysis. They have all been ignored. Numerous scientists and public health consultants have repeatedly warned against the dangers of gas pipelines near Indian Point. Their warnings have gone unheeded. County Executive George Latimer and many members of the Westchester Board of Legislators have all called for the release of the Risk Assessment. The Philipstown Town Board and the Peekskill City Council along with the Deputy Mayor have also joined in the call for the release of the study. Taken as a whole, these are compelling reasons to stop the flow of gas near Indian Point. Governor Cuomo himself, when commissioning the risk assessment stated:

“Unless this independent safety risk analysis is completed, we ask that FERC stay and reconsider its prior determination to grant a certificate of public convenience and necessity to ensure that the health and safety of all New Yorkers is adequately protected.”

It is not safe to have a gas pipeline near a nuclear facility. Independent experts warn that a spent fuel fire triggered by a pipeline rupture would be more devastating than Fukushima and render the region, including most of New York City, uninhabitable. Closing Indian Point will not reduce the risk because there are over 1,500 tons of highly irradiated spent fuel that will remain on-site. In addition, Indian Point is a known terrorist target and a cyber-security threat.

Robert May

Garrison