Res. No. 266

Resolution calling upon the City of New York to join the coalition calling for the immediate shutdown of the Indian Point Nuclear Facility until comprehensive safety studies are completed and adequate security measures are taken.

By Council Members Gennaro, DeBlasio, Martinez, Perkins, Rivera, Sanders Jr., Sears, Brewer, Clarke, Gioia, Gerson, Barron, Gonzalez, Palma, Quinn, Weprin, Lopez and The Public Advocate (Ms. Gotbaum)

Whereas, The September 11, 2001 attack on America has demonstrated that a new form of terrorism threatens the lives of Americans, and the economy, property and natural resources on which they depend; and

Whereas, Terrorists have made numerous credible threats to focus future attacks on America’s infrastructure, including our nation’s nuclear power plants; and

Whereas, Of the nation’s 103 nuclear power reactors, the Indian Point Nuclear Facility (Indian Point) is a vulnerable target given its location within the greater New York metropolitan area - home to 20 million people and the world’s financial centers; and

Whereas, The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has acknowledged that nuclear facilities and their safety control mechanisms, including those at Indian Point, were not designed to withstand or repel a substantial terrorist attack; and

Whereas, The complex and interconnected system of nuclear reactors, spent fuel storage structures, control rooms and electrical switching equipment provides multiple target opportunities by which a sophisticated and determined terrorist attack could cause a catastrophic radiological event; and

Whereas, A meltdown or radiological fire could lead to tens of thousands of deaths and cases of chronic radiation sickness, devastate the region’s economy, and render uninhabitable much of the greater New York metropolitan area; and

Whereas, Indian Point’s Emergency Response Plan and Westchester County’s Radiological Emergency Response Plan are known to be severely deficient as programs for the evacuation of area residents and workers in the event of anything but a minor radiological release; and

Whereas, Given that the plant’s only true, although not easily replaced, public benefit is the provision of inexpensive power during the summer months; and

Whereas, A temporary, but immediate, shut-down of Indian Point, especially if taken in concert with other safety measures described below, would substantially reduce the risks and consequences of an attack or accident, both in the near- and long-term; and

Whereas, Only a full shut-down of the plant’s reactors will provide the incentives necessary to compel the operator and the NRC to conduct a comprehensive and credible security and safety review and institute the necessary security and safety measures to protect the public and justify the plant’s reopening; and

Whereas, A rapidly growing confederation of government, business, civic and environmental leaders has filed a formal petition calling on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to: (1) order an immediate shutdown of Indian Point’s Unit Two and Unit Three reactors and keep them closed until a full review of the plant’s vulnerabilities, security measures and related evacuation plans is completed; (2) mandate immediate deployment of security measures sufficient to repel a terrorist attack on the reactors, spent fuel storage areas, control rooms or electrical equipment; and (3) order the immediate transfer of the plant’s spent fuel rods from a wet pool storage system to a dry cask storage system.

Whereas, Appropriate authorities must also seek an independent assessment of the feasibility of converting Indian Point to a non-nuclear power generation facility; and

Whereas, After conducting the above mentioned reviews, if the NRC cannot state with absolute confidence that the operators of the Indian Point Nuclear Facility cannot ensure its secure and safe operation, and therefore the protection of the City of New York and the greater New York metropolitan area, the NRC must take prompt action to permanently retire the facility or require its conversion to a non-nuclear power generation facility; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, The Council of the City of New York calls upon the City of New York to join the coalition calling for the immediate shutdown of the Indian Point Nuclear Facility until comprehensive safety studies are completed and adequate security measures are taken.