Public Comment to NRC on Relicensing of Indian Point 2 & 3

Public Comment offered at NRC’s Environmental Scoping Meeting for the Site-specific EIS on Entergy’s Application for Relicensing of Indian Point 2 & 3, September 19, 2007, at Colonial Terrace, Cortland Manor, NY by Manna Jo Greene, Environmental Director, Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Inc. NRC’s Mission: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s primary mandate is “to protect public health and safety and the environment,” and further NRC is required to incorporate “any new and significant information” into its findings. Role of Government: For a democracy to work the roles and responsibilities of Government, Industry and the Public must be carefully defined and balanced. The role of corporations is to provide goods and services at a reasonable profit. For a free enterprise system to function optimally, requisite checks and balances demand that our regulatory agencies exercise the utmost rigor, and err on the side of protection, not leniency. Taking a Holistic Approach: Everything in our environment is interconnected. The NRC has wide discretion, and should use it to be inclusive, and not exclude any relevant information. The more information it receives from the public for serious consideration, the better the NRC can do its job. In this regard, Clearwater thanks the NRC for extending the deadline for filing to intervene. The additional time will allow interveners to better prepare and refine their petitions, which will ...