Joint Statement From Senator Murphy, Assemblywoman Galef, Local Officials On Indian Point Closing

ALBANY, NY – State Senator Terrence Murphy and Assemblywoman Sandra Galef issued a joint statement today with local officials raising questions regarding Governor Cuomo’s 10th proposal of his 2017 State of the State, to close the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant by 2021. Entergy held a press event today detailing its plan to close the plant, but the Governor’s still plan provides too few details, and some of those that have been provided could eventually require legislative approval and oversight.

Senator Murphy said, “Aspects of the Governor’s proposals may require the legislature’s sign-off. We’re concerned by the lack of transparency here, we’ve heard from every stakeholder except the Governor himself. He owes it to us to come to the communities affected to explain exactly how we will safely store and protect spent fuel rods here for the next century, find replacement power for a quarter of our region’s energy needs, and fund the gigantic holes this move blows into the local budgets for the town of Cortlandt, village of Buchanan and the Hendrick Hudson school district over the long-term. The idea that we can just ask 1,000 workers to relocate some place else is also wholly inadequate. We call on the Governor to bring his show on the road to my district and explain this to us. Until we get the Governor, the Power Authority, Entergy, homeland security and others together with lawmakers and local officials so we have real transparency in the decision-making process, I will urge my colleagues in the Senate and the Assembly to reject these proposals.”

Assemblywoman Galef said, “I am shocked by the Governor’s proposal and I am very concerned about the effect it will have on the employees of Entergy, their families, as well as the loss of tax revenue which the local school district and municipalities significantly rely on. Over the next few weeks I would assume the Governor will bring elected officials together that represent the communities impacted by this proposal to determine what course of action needs to be taken to protect the employees and the loss of local taxes. I am committed to working hard to resolve the potential problems that may come with this proposal.”

Cortlandt Supervisor Linda Puglisi said, “I only learned from a New York Times article entitled ‘Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant to Close’ that these plants will close in 2020 and 2021. As the elected Town Supervisor where this major industry is located Cortlandt and Buchanan should not have heard about this major news from a newspaper article. We should have been notified as a courtesy prior to this public announcement.”

Buchanan Village Mayor Theresa Knickerbocker said, “I am asking for bipartisan support at a federal, state and local officials. Fortunately we have always had support of our local state representatives like Senator Terrence Murphy and Assemblywoman Sandy Galef. Asing for support so that our beautiful community does not become a ghost town like so many other communities when an industry leaves.”

Peekskill Mayor Frank Catalina said, “I agree with my fellow colleagues that this will be a total disaster for the area. I only hope the Governor has a contingency plan for this area to replace Entergy but I am skeptical.”

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