Updates From Yesterday's Public Meeting On Indian Point License Renewal Application

First, the knuckle draggers were out in full force attempting to intimidate those wanting Indian Point's license renewal appliation to be denied. What was interesting, is several of the Union members admitted they showed up to STAY OUT OF TROUBLE. So, Entergy and/or the union are making attendance at these public meetings mandatory, creating in effect a FALSE show of support for the failing, leaking reactors at Indian Point. One of Entergy's employees (who we outed on this blog) got rather hostile, but then that is to be expected, since none of these men seem to have the ability to intellectually discuss the issue, but instead stoop to verbal and written attacks, both here on the Internet, and/or in real time such as at the meeting. Seems to me, if they are going to attend these public meetings, they could at least LEARN and EDUCATE themselves on the issues, rather than relying on flash cards held up in front of them while they fed their faces at the Entergy Food Spread in an adjoining room.

Other Important Issues:

Requests:

It has been requested, that prior to starting 60 day intervener clock , the NRC must require Entergy to place all documents referred to and incorporated in the application be made available for inspection in a public place. (Roni, a lying, twit if there ever was one, of the NRC, argued absurdly that public availability would violate copyright, honestly if that violates copyright then there could be no books in the libraries). The real truth...the NRC and Entergy want to keep the public as ignorant as possible.

List of all criteria under which a new license would be denied. This is the third time this request has been verbalized to the NRC, and so far Richard Barkley (NRC point person) has been less than cooperative on this.

List of what systems and components are specifically within scope. Again, they are trying to keep us from having a realistic idea of the components included and within scope for purposes of our contentions.

List of all deviations and exemptions granted to all three plants. Again, this is a request that has been submitted before, and the NRC keeps saying the same thing over and over again, "We are working on it."

List of all underground pipes, composition, footage, and what is running through them.

Electrical separation repair/mediating documents and a walk down -This request dates back to Congresswoman Sue Kelly, and we are STILL WAITING.

Require that all ASLAB and other meetings regarding relicensing be held in Westchester (county center), not in NRC's backyard where they can easily swamp the facility with UNION THUGS.

Seeking a determination by the NRC whether there is even enough room on the site for the waste, both in pool and dry casks (with and without cooling towers).

GENERAL NOTE: Over 36 people signed up to speak. The NRC once again stopped the meeting before everyone who wanted to speak had a chance, and said the place was closing (not true), but they didn't want to rent it longer. If people make the effort to come to a meeting they should be given the chance to speak. This has been and on going issue and complaint that Richard Barkley is well aware of, but as usual, the NRC is far more concerned about keeping the public voice silent than seeing meaningful public participation in the process. As was so elequently stated in the afternoon meeting, perhaps the time has come, since the NRC is so dismally failing in protecting human health and safety that they all need to resign.

Doric Maldernero: Suez United Water is planning to use desalination for Rockland drinking water.

Philip Musegaas NRC is trying to limit who are allowed stakeholder status, but he made the point that the Hudson River is everyone's, therefore everyone along Hudson has standing or NYS. Further, in the case of a significant incident, where is the stakeholder line drawn?

Philip Musegaas also raised the issue that IP 1 is in violation of it's SAFESTOR agreement because there are radiological releases.

Ken Olin: About the 1996 Generic Impact Statement how it is applied differently for new construction and existing plants. They said that because it's new construction there is a larger impact, however in the relicense situation there is enormous construction as well, regarding the dry cask field, and the probability that replacement of the domes is necessary during the time of relicense (REFURBISHMENT).

1996 Environmental Impact Statement is being rewritten - they have therefore acknowledged that it is out date - post 9/11. Seems there is a contention in there some place.

ELECTED OFFICALS WHO MADE APPEARANCES

Brian Shapiro - Ulster County Legislature - Environmental Chair - asked the NRC to consider the uniqueness of location in the review, that they can't look at Indian Point as if “it is in a time machine.”

Connie Coker - Rockland County Legislature - Environmental Chair.

Dan O'Neil - Mayor of Buchanan-Trotted out his same old tired lines about how his small community taxes would go up. Excuse us Mr. Mayor, but Peekskill faces the same risks as your community, with NONE OF THOSE TAXES BENEFITS, and there are a lot more of us here. Maybe you need to wean yourself off the swine teat, and start being honest about the risks Indian Point poses to all of us. Further...for clarification, less than THIRTY Indian Point workers live in Buchanan, and the majority of the Indian Point workers have located themselves out of harm's way, choosing to commute in from Dutchess county.

Joe O'Brien - Eliot Engel's office - read statement.

Susan Spear - John Hall's office - read statement. We see how sincere (or not) he is about his promise to SHUT DOWN INDIAN POINT...seems to me, that he himself could find the time to attend such important public meetings...after all, there are only three of them in the entire relicensing process.

Manna Jo Greene - handed in 4000 signatures on petitions against relicensing.

Riverkeeper - asked that the Environmental scoping meeting not take place in the last 2 weeks of August. Funny they ask for this, but were not willing to sign onto our official request for a 60 day extention.

Union People (THUGS) - Boilermakers this time, once again took up lots of parking, were being intimidating, a few even voicing whispered threats to a few of us. Was told when I asked one of them why they were here, he said he had to come and would be in trouble if he didn't. He didn't know anything about IP.