Holtec is reportedly pausing its plans to dump radioactive wastewater into the Hudson River.
The Indian Point Closure Task Force and Decommissioning Oversight Board announced the company”™s plans to dispose of more than a million gallons of wastewater next month comes after a growing chorus of opposition from elected officials, environmental organizations and community groups.
“Holtec”™s cooperation with the State to sample and analyze the treated spent fuel pool water before it proceeds with discharges is an important step toward improving the transparency of the spent fuel pool dewatering process, which is a necessary part of decommissioning,” said Tom Congdon, chairman of the Indian Point Closure Task Force and Decommissioning Oversight Board, in a statement published yesterday evening. “Holtec”™s agreement to pause the partial dewatering planned for May is also an important step toward rebuilding trust in the community.”
Congdon added that his board urged the company “to meaningfully engage with the elected officials in the region and to respond to their concerns, while staying true to the key public-interest principle of a safe, prompt, and thorough decommissioning of Indian Point. While releases of treated spent fuel pool water occur under the auspices of the federal government, that does not relieve Holtec of its responsibility to partner with the host community to address local concerns about various aspects of the decommissioning process.”
