Congressman Eliot Engel (D-Westchester/Rockland) briefed the new chairwoman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission of his concerns and opposition to the Indian Point nuclear power plants in Buchanan and their applications for license renewal.
Engel’s comments came during a joint hearing of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittees on Energy and Power and the Environment and the Economy on Tuesday.
The evacuation plan for the plants is “unworkable,” Indian Point operator Entergy has a “dismal operational history” and that it has been “plagued by irresponsible acts, unplanned shutdowns, and leaking spent fuel pools,” Engel told Dr. Allison Macfarlane.
“I am not opposed to nuclear power; I lever issued a peep about Indian Point until September 11th when it became clear to many of us that this was a safety hazard,” he said.
That point was driven home when it was learned that one of the terrorist planes en route to the World Trade Center flew over Indian Point.
Engel invited Macfarlane to tour Indian Point with him and further discuss the issues about the plant face to face. She agreed to do so.
