The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has denied a critical water quality certification required for the relicensing of Indian Point. This is a crucial turning point and major victory in the battle to halt Indian Point’s environmental assault on the Hudson River and force the plant’s early retirement.

Riverkeeper has been spearheading this campaign since 1966, and last month submitted formal comments urging the DEC to deny the certification based largely on the impacts cited in the DEC decision.

In denying the certification, the DEC determined that the continued use of Indian Point’s antiquated once-through cooling system violates state standards, because it withdraws and discharges about 2.5 billion gallons of river water a day and causes the death of almost 1 billion aquatic organisms per year due to entrainment, impingement, and heat related, or thermal, impacts.

Links:

Denial Letter (PDF, 6 MB)

Riverkeeper comments to the DEC (PDF, 2 MB)