Growng chorus of area residents for the closure of Pilgrim Nuclear power Plant

Islanders Join Chorus Against Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station Vineyard Gazette Olivia Hall, 26 June 14 A movement to close the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station is gaining ground on Martha’s Vineyard, where some Islanders have begun to voice concerns about their safety in the event of an emergency. The Island, like much of the commonwealth, stands in the shadow of the state’s only nuclear plant. – A public forum is planned for Monday at 7 p.m. at the Katharine Cornell Theatre in Vineyard Haven; the event is titled Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station: Could Fukushima Happen Here? Pilgrim provides 15 per cent of the electricity for southeastern Massachusetts, according to a 2014 report by ISO New England, the region’s electric grid operator. This past spring, Island voters expressed overwhelming support for the decommissioning of the plant at their annual town meetings and at the ballot box. Nonbinding resolutions urging Gov. Deval Patrick to press for closure of the Plymouth plant were supported by most towns. In addition, the Martha’s Vineyard Commission and the Dukes County Commission signed letters to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission asking for the decommissioning of Pilgrim. “Public safety, particularly that of Cape and Islands residents, cannot be assured,” the resolutions read in part. –

Last year, all 15 Cape towns passed similar resolutions, asking for the decommissioning of the power plant. In the event of an emergency at Pilgrim, releases from the plant could potentially involve the inhalation and ingestion of radioactive material. State and federal legislators have also expressed concerns about the plant’s safety, and have asked the NRC to monitor the plant closely. The primary concern for the Cape and Islands has been the lack of an evacuation plan in the event of a nuclear emergency. While the state has a plan in place to evacuate those living within a 10-mile radius of the plant, the Cape and Islands are not included in that region. –

“Basically, we on the Cape and Islands would be sheltering in place and then slowly relocated, which makes us sitting ducks for ingesting any radioactive plume that should be released,” said Ann Rosenkranz of West Tisbury………

Despite voices calling for decommissioning, the Pilgrim Plant was granted a license renewal in 2012 for 20 more years. This year, the NRC determined that the plant required more scrutiny as a result of unplanned shutdowns that took place last year. Organizers of the Monday forum say they hope it will continue a dialogue on the Island about the safety and environmental risks involved with the Pilgrim plant. – See more at: http://mvgazette.com/news/2014/06/26/islanders-join-chorus-against-pilgrim-nuclear-power-station?k=vg53acdc3930608&r=1#sthash.yF08kclK.dpuf

June 30, 2014 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | opposition to nuclear, USA

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