nuclear-news

Environmentalists sue over nuclear reactor’s impact on Columbia River By NICHOLAS K. GERANIOS, Columbian.com Associated Press October 30, 2014,  

SPOKANE — Three environmental groups sued a state agency Thursday over the effects of the Northwest’s only commercial nuclear power plant on the water quality of the Columbia River.

The Northwest Environmental Defense Center, Northwest Environmental Advocates and Columbia Riverkeeper filed the lawsuit in Thurston County Superior Court against the Washington Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council.

The council in 2006 issued the water pollution permit for Energy Northwest’s Columbia Generating Station, which is on the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. The station uses 20 million gallons of water from the river every day to cool the nuclear reactor.

The lawsuit contends the permit violates the Clean Water Act by allowing water pollution at levels that violate state standards designed to protect public health, along with fish and other aquatic species. “Experts from the National Marine Fisheries Service sounded the alarm about how this facility may be killing and harming endangered salmon,” said Mala Nelson, attorney for the Northwest Environmental Defense Center. “EFSEC’s blatant disregard for this input demands judicial oversight.”……..http://www.columbian.com/news/2014/oct/30/environmentalists-sue-over-nuclear-reactoru2019s-i/