Spano seeks another $20G in nuke suit

Spano seeks another $20G in nuke suit
By GLENN BLAINTHE JOURNAL NEWS
(Original publication: June 18, 2007)
Taking the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission to court is proving a bit more expensive for taxpayers than Westchester County Executive Andrew Spano thought.
The Spano administration has asked the county Board of Legislators to authorize an additional $20,000 for the law firm hired by Westchester to take on the case. The request is now being considered by the board.
"It's very complex legally," Susan Tolchin, Spano's chief adviser, said of the case. "It is taking more money than we originally estimated."
Spano announced his intention to sue the NRC in February, after the agency rejected a county petition seeking to impose stricter criteria for older nuclear power plants - especially Indian Point in Buchanan -to gain new licenses.
The Board of Legislators in February authorized Spano to spend up to $60,000 on the law firm handling the case, Epstein, Becker and Green. Spano now wants to increase that amount to $80,000.
Legislator Michael Kaplowitz, D-Somers, chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, said his committee planned to review Spano's request, but he declined to comment further.
Spano, who says Indian Point should be closed, wants the NRC to consider, among other issues, the region's population density and potential risk of terrorism when it decides whether to approve new licenses for the power plants.
"We feel we have a strong case," Tolchin said
NRC officials have maintained that changing the criteria is unwarranted. The agency looks almost exclusively at the operation of whatever plant is seeking a 20-year license renewal.
"We believe that the issues that are most important to consider are the aging-management program at the plant," NRC spokesman Neil Sheehan said.
That program is "the way they will ensure that key safety systems and structures will be maintained," he said.
Sheehan, though, declined to criticize Spano's lawsuit.
"It's part of the process," Sheehan said. "There are checks and balances. If you are not happy with the decisions we make, you always have the option of pursuing it in federal court."
Entergy Nuclear Northeast, which owns and operates Indian Point 2 and Indian Point 3 in Buchanan, announced plans late last year to seek license extensions for both plants.
If granted, the renewals would allow the plants to operate until 2033 and 2035 respectively. The original 40-year licenses for Indian Point 2 will expire in 2013.
The NRC is planning to hold a pair of 90-minute public meetings on June 27 to outline the agency's license-review process. The meetings will be held at 1:30 p.m and 7 p.m. at Colonial Terrace, a catering hall in Cortlandt.