UNITED STATES NEWS

Massachusetts rejects request to discharge radioactive water from closed nuclear plant into bay

Jul 25, 2023, 10:41 AM

FILE - A portion of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station is visible beyond houses along the coast of C...

FILE - A portion of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station is visible beyond houses along the coast of Cape Cod Bay in Plymouth, Mass., March 30, 2011. Massachusetts environmental regulators have denied a request Monday, July 24, 2023, by the company dismantling a shuttered nuclear power plant to release more than 1 million gallons of radioactive wastewater into Cape Cod Bay. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)
Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS

(AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)

BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts environmental regulators have denied a request by the company dismantling a shuttered nuclear power plant to release more than 1 million gallons (3.8 million liters) of radioactive wastewater into Cape Cod Bay.

The state Department of Environmental Protection’s draft decision issued Monday said it denied Holtec’s request for a permit modification because the discharge from Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station in Plymouth would violate a state law that designates the bay as an ocean sanctuary.

The draft will not be finalized until after a public comment period that ends Aug. 25.

Environmentalists and politicians praised the decision.

Release of the treated wastewater would pose a threat to the bay’s environment, human health, the fishing and shellfishing industries, and the economy of the region, Andrew Gottlieb, executive director of the Association to Preserve Cape Cod, said in a statement.

“Holtec sought to profit at the expense of the people, the environment and economy of Cape Cod and, like most corporate bullies, needed to be told no,” he said.

Holtec promised a transparent decommissioning process when it took over the plant after it stopped generating power in May 2019, U.S. Sen. Edward Markey said.

“In the years since, Holtec has fallen woefully short on this commitment — particularly with regard to its plans to discharge one million gallons of radioactive water into Cape Cod Bay, despite vehement opposition from local stakeholders,” he said.

In seeking its permit modification, Holtec said Pilgrim had discharged water into the bay for 50 years while the plant was generating electricity for the region and that environmental studies conducted by the plant operators and Holtec have shown that releasing the wastewater would have little or no environmental impact.

“We are disappointed by the state’s denial of our permit modification for discharge of treated water from Pilgrim Station that is well within established, safe limits,” Holtec said in a statement.

The company is also awaiting a pending decision on the issue from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

“This process has already delayed the completion of the project for an additional four years, impacted the workforce on site and further changes when the site can be returned to be an economic driver for the Plymouth community,” the statement said.

Pilgrim was a boiling water reactor. Water constantly circulated through the reactor vessel and nuclear fuel, converting it to steam to spin the turbine. The water was cooled and recirculated, picking up radioactive contamination.

There are alternatives to discharging the water into the bay, including evaporation and trucking it off site for treatment and eventual discharge.

United States News

Associated Press

Massachusetts man stabs five officers after crashing into home following chase, police say

TAUNTON, Mass. (AP) — A Massachusetts man who sped away during a traffic stop led police on a chase that ended with him crashing into a home and then stabbing five officers, including the local police chief, before he was arrested, authorities said. The Taunton police officers were injured trying to take Douglas Hagerty, 35, […]

18 minutes ago

Associated Press

3 dead after car being pursued by police crashes in Indianapolis minutes after police end pursuit

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Three people including a teenage boy died when a car being chased by police in Indianapolis for reckless driving collided with another vehicle only minutes after officers ended their pursuit, authorities said Wednesday. An Indiana state trooper began the pursuit Tuesday night when the driver of a Dodge Challenger fled the officer’s […]

23 minutes ago

Associated Press

Man serving sentence for attacking parents fails to return to halfway house and considered escapee

MOUNT LAUEL, N.J. (AP) — A man serving a prison sentence for attacking and seriously injuring his parents more than two decades ago remains missing Wednesday, several days after he failed to return to the halfway house where he was living. Edward Berbon, 54, was assigned to a halfway house in Camden County and had […]

57 minutes ago

Associated Press

Montana judge blocks enforcement of law to ban gender-affirming medical care for minors

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — A law to ban gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors in Montana is temporarily banned, a state judge ruled Tuesday, just four days before it was to take effect. District Court Judge Jason Marks agreed with transgender youth, their families and healthcare providers that a law passed by the 2023 Montana […]

2 hours ago

Associated Press

Authorities make arrests in the case of Kentucky woman reported missing 8 years ago

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The former boyfriend of a central Kentucky woman who disappeared more than eight years ago has been arrested on charges stemming from the investigation, the FBI and Kentucky State Police said Wednesday in a statement. Brooks Houck was arrested without incident on charges stemming from the Crystal Rogers investigation, the statement […]

2 hours ago

From left, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Vice ...

Associated Press

Republican hopefuls face growing urgency to stop Donald Trump entering 2nd debate

Republicans are meeting for their second presidential debate on Wednesday as Donald Trump's top rivals seek to blunt the momentum of the former president.

3 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

Home moving relocation in Arizona 2023...

BMS Moving

Tips for making your move in Arizona easier

If you're moving to a new home in Arizona, use this to-do list to alleviate some stress and ensure a smoother transition to your new home.

...

re:vitalize

When most diets fail, re:vitalize makes a difference that shows

Staying healthy and losing weight are things many people in Arizona are conscious of, especially during the summer.

...

OCD & Anxiety Treatment Center

5 mental health myths you didn’t know were made up

Helping individuals understand mental health diagnoses like obsessive compulsive spectrum disorder or generalized anxiety disorder isn’t always an easy undertaking. After all, our society tends to spread misconceptions about mental health like wildfire. This is why being mindful about how we talk about mental health is so important. We can either perpetuate misinformation about already […]

Massachusetts rejects request to discharge radioactive water from closed nuclear plant into bay