A federal court ruling has given the green light for the release of approximately 45,000 gallons of mildly radioactive water from a decommissioned plant into the Hudson River. The decision, handed down by US District Judge Kenneth Karas, overruled a New York State environmental law known as the “Save The Hudson” law, which was set to take effect in 2023.
The ruling favored Holtec International, the company responsible for the decommissioning of the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant, located about 35 miles north of Manhattan. The company had filed a lawsuit against the state of New York last year, arguing that only the federal government had the authority to regulate the disposal of the plant’s nuclear waste.
Judge Karas concurred with Holtec’s argument, stating in his decision that the “Save The Hudson” law would have effectively barred the company from using a federally approved method of waste disposal. The company has assured the public that the release of the radioactive water will be carried out in accordance with federal regulations.
Holtec International has a history of similar discharges during the plant’s operation, which spanned over five decades. The company has pledged to continue the decommissioning of the Indian Point site in an environmentally responsible manner, working in conjunction with local, state, and federal stakeholders.
The Indian Point plant was shuttered in 2021 following years of public protest over environmental concerns. Despite the closure, New York Governor Kathy Hochul has criticized the move as short-sighted and has announced plans for a new nuclear facility.
The governor has also noted that the closure of the plant has led to an increase in greenhouse emissions in the region due to the need to burn more fossil fuels to compensate for the loss of the plant’s clean energy output. Holtec has also expressed interest in reopening the plant to meet the growing demand for power.
However, a representative for Governor Hochul’s office has stated that there are no plans to reopen the plant and that the administration intends to proceed with the complete decommissioning of the facility.
Water from nuclear power plants is known to contain a small amount of radioactivity, in the form of tritium, which poses a minimal risk of contamination, according to the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission.