Indian Point Trick Play? Water Permits

While the controversy over Indian Point has thus far centered on the nuclear plant's vulnerability to earthquakes - prompting the NRC to rank it their"top priority in its review of the seismic risk at 27 nuclear plants throughout the country" - WNYC's Bob Hennelly says we're missing the bigger point:

The nuclear plant has been striking out for years in its attempt to get a state water quality permit for its discharge into the Hudson. Without the state water sign off, Indian Point cannot get its 20 year federal renewal.

Indian Point skeptic Andrew Cuomo stopped short of calling for the plant's closureyesterday, but as Attorney General he expressed deep concerns about the plant, and ran on a campaign that advocated shutting it down.

New York State does not have the power to shut down the plant. (Only the federal government can do that, as WNYC's Beth Fertig reports.) But it does have a trick up its sleeve - renewal of the water permit. Read more over at It's A Free Country.