Filed Under: Environmental Issues | Westchester | Public Health

Indian Point

Nuclear waste is the radioactive by-product of weapons production, power generation, and other uses of radioactive materials. Civilian high-level radioactive waste is spent fuel from commercial power reactors. Westchester hosts three nuclear energy plants in Buchanan. Indian Point 1 was shut down in 1974. Indian Point 2 and 3 supply power to three million customers in New York City and Westchester.

The events of September 11, 2001 heightened concerns about the danger from terrorist attack on the nation's power plants. The proximity of the Indian Point plants to 8% of the United States population means any accident at, or attack on, these plants could have long-lasting negative impact on millions of people and the environment. Safety statistics differ on both sides of the controversy, but alternative energy sources are being explored, including the Millennium Pipeline at Bowline in Rockland County, eight 45-megawatt natural gas units, the conversion of Indian Point to natural gas and renewable sources of energy.

Meanwhile, storing high level radioactive waste remains a problem. A national repository at Yucca Mountain in Nevada is not expected to open until 2010, assuming it survives legal challenges. Until then, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has agreed to take ownership of spent rods and pay for temporary storage at individual reactors, also a problem for many utilities and communities that view defunct plants as permanent hazardous waste sites. Since its closure in 1974, Indian Point 1 has been storing high level radioactive waste.

Industrial processes, laboratories, and hospitals produce low level radioactive waste. Most of this waste is short-lived and less radioactive than its high level counterpart; however, federal law requires a licensed repository for disposal. Since New York State lacks a licensed disposal site, low level radioactive waste is stored where it is produced.

Parties Involved: (contact information in chapter 7)

US Government
Army Corps of Engineers, Commerce Department, US Congress, Department of Environmental Protection, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Department of Transportation, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Supreme Court

New York State
Department of Environmental Conservation, Governor, Legislature, New York Power Authority

Westchester County
Board of Legislators, County Executive, Department of Economic Development, Department of Environmental Facilities, Department of Health, Department of Planning, Department of Transportation, Soil and Water Conservation District

Local governments
Planning Board, Zoning Board, Town/Village Boards and Councils, Department of Public Works, Highway Department, volunteer Citizen Boards, Commissions and Councils

Nongovernmental Organizations
Environmental Defense, Federated Conservationists of Westchester County Historic Hudson River Towns, Natural Resources Defense Council, New York Main Street Alliance, Pace Environmental Law Clinic, Regional Plan Association, Riverkeeper, Scenic Hudson, Soundkeeper, The Trust for Public Land, Open Space Alliance, Westchester 2000