(WASHINGTON) – Members of the New York Congressional delegation today contacted the Chief Administrative Judge of the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to request an additional hearing on license renewal of Indian Point’s nuclear reactors in response to limitations on public participation due to the lack of proper audio equipment at yesterday’s hearing.


A copy of the letter follows:

The Honorable E. Roy Hawkens
Chief Administrative Judge
Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Washington, D.C. 20555

Dear Judge Hawkens:

We write with great dismay and concern over the actions of the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel during oral arguments over the license renewal of Indian Point’s nuclear reactors. Over the course of this hearing, numerous decisions and missteps were taken that undermine the very reasoning for holding public hearings – to ensure the concerns of interested parties and individuals are heard and considered.

After initially delaying the start of the meeting by more than one hour, the lack of microphones for representatives of the State, County and Indian Point facility made hearing and responding to arguments virtually impossible for the participating public and for the media, which is responsible for making the public aware of the proceedings. Furthermore, requests for microphones were denied by the presiding judge, and only after multiple hours of inaudible testimony was one single microphone provided for the multiple tables of witnesses.

These decisions cast serious doubts about the commitment of the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to an open and honest process for considering Entergy’s license renewal application for Indian Point.

Therefore, we call on you and NRC Chairman Klein to immediately announce plans for an additional hearing to be held in Westchester County. This hearing must be announced with proper public and official notice and include sufficient microphones and audio equipment to accommodate public participation.

Anything less than immediate corrective actions to ensure that the public’s voice will be heard in this process is unacceptable.

Sincerely,

Nita M. Lowey
John Hall
Maurice Hinchey
Eliot Engel
Charles E. Schumer
Hillary Rodham Clinton