IP evacuation zone
Legislator Michael Kaplowitz  (D, I-Somers), chairman of the Westchester County Board of Legislators Committee on Environment and Energy, is calling for a New York exemption from federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Federal Emergency Management Agency Emergency Planning Zone requirements following the disasters in Japan.
The regulatory bodies currently have a 10-mile evacuation zone requirement, but legislators are seeking an increase to the Indian Point Energy Center evacuation zone to a 50-mile radius, which would extend well beyond Westchester County and into parts of northern New Jersey and western Connecticut.
The NRC recently confirmed that a 10-mile Emergency Planning Zone for Indian Point and other U.S. nuclear plants was sufficient.
However, lawmakers are concerned that the same regulatory agency advised residents within a 50-mile radius of the Fukushima reactors in Japan, to evacuate.
The NRC said protective requirements are formulated based on factors such as weather, wind direction, speed and the state of the condition at the reactor.
County Board of Legislators Spokeswoman Tara Martin said six legislators signed on as cosponsors of the New York exemption after the April 5 meeting and as of that day, they had not heard from the opposition. “That will probably flush out by Monday”™s committee meeting.”
Foreclosure judgments drop
Despite a slowdown in the number of foreclosures filed during the first few months of 2011, Westchester County Clerk Timothy Idoni said the significant drop stemmed from the break taken by financial institutions and attorneys to address updated court rulings.
In March, 16 foreclosure judgments were recorded, as opposed to the 47 in March 2007. One hundred foreclosure judgments were recorded in March 2009.
Award of distinction
Children”™s Environmental Health Center of the Hudson Valley, a joint effort of Maria Fareri Children”™s Hospital at Westchester Medical Center and New York Medical College”™s Institute for Public Health, was commended last week by the county health department.
The 2011 Distinguished Public Health Service Award is presented each year by the Board of Health to a community-based organization demonstrating vision and commitment to public health.
