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issues that have arisen. Recent reports released by the organization Riverkeeper state that there are

many issues at the plant ranging from leaking buried pipes and metal fatigue of reactor

components, to contamination of the Hudson River from radioactive waste leaks (Cho). As the

age and corrosion of the plant worsens, the health and safety risks of the people working at the

plant and who live around are greatly increasing. Riverkeepers report also brought attention to the

hazardous fire safety regulations at the plant, stating that only six out of the 30 fire zones

inspected at the plant were in compliance with regulations (Cho). Fire safety is very important

when dealing with nuclear reactors and the fact that Entergy is not complying with the regulations

set forth by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is very concerning. Indian Point has

recently requested exemption from almost 100 critical fire safety requirements, which is a fact that

definitely should not be overlooked by stakeholders in this controversy (Siding). The NRC

promptly rejected these requests, but it is concerning that these requests were even made. If the

safety regulations of Indian Point are supposedly up to date according to reports released by

Entergy, then why are they asking for such a large amount of exemptions? New Yorks Attorney

General Schneiderman did not let these requests go unnoticed. Promptly after the NRCs refusal to

comply with the exemptions that Indian Point asked for, Schniederman petitioned the NRC to take

enforcement action against the power plant in order to ensure the safety of the millions of people

living in the vicinity. The safety hazards of the power plant cannot be overlooked any longer

because not only are people being put in danger, but the surrounding environment is also being

harmed by the carelessness of the power plant.

One of the most immediate repercussions of the Indian Point power plant is the impact that

it has on the surrounding environment. The power plant is located on the Hudson River and uses

the river water to cool the plant. The plant sucks up 2.5 billion gallons of water every day in order

to cool its extensive facilities. When the water is taken out of the river, billions of aquatic

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organisms are also being pulled out of the water and killed (Cho). Since so many aquatic

organisms are being killed daily, the ecosystem of the Hudson River is quickly deteriorating and

affecting not only the aquatic life directly around the power plant but also along the rest of the

Hudson riverbank (Cho). The Hudson River is notorious for being an extremely polluted river due

to the city waste being dumped into it daily. The aquatic organisms that do survive in the river are

key components of the rivers habitat, and are necessary for the ecosystem that depends on the

river for habitat and life. Not only are more than a billion aquatic organisms being killed daily in

order to cool the power plant, but they are also being exposed to high levels of radiation.

Radioactive waste is toxic not matter how much an organism is exposed to. Radiation exposure

increases the risk of damage to tissues, cells, DNA and other vital molecules. Each exposure

potentially can cause programmed cell death, genetic mutations, cancers, leukemia, birth defects,

and reproductive, immune and endocrine system disorders (Close). The Indian Point power plant

releases radioactive waste in liquid, gaseous, and solid forms. The plant habitually releases

radioactive water into the Hudson River, affecting anything that may come in contact with the

water (Close). Although there is government regulation on the amount of radioactive water that the

plant is permitted to put into the river, it is unbeknownst to us how much water they view as

permissible.

In order to track the amount of radioactive releases that a nuclear power plant has, the NRC

relies on reports and computer models that are presented by the people who control the nuclear

reactors (Close). These reports may very well be accurate and closely scrutinized, but it is hard to

determine who is checking the reports and whether or not they are 100% accurate. The waste is not

only being leaked into the water surrounding the plant, but also into the ground and into the air. A

recent report released by Environment New York argues that the radioactive substances that are

being leaked into the ground are affecting the drinking water of millions of people. Indian Point

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take some time to implement all of these alternative power sources, it would be well worth the

benefit of eliminating any nuclear threats and working towards preserving the aquatic life of the

Hudson River.

Another argument that some people make in support of Indian Point is that the power plant

employs many people within the community and therefore boosts the local economy. Indian Point

employs approximately 1,100 workers and 200 on-site contractors (Farley). If Indian Point were

to shut down people would need to be hired to install the alternate forms of energy production as

well as to work in the refurbished natural gas plants. There is a good possibility that more natural

gas plants would be opened in order to compensate for the energy demand, which would result in

more jobs opening up for people in the local community. The thousands of people who go to work

at the nuclear power plant every day are constantly being exposed to radioactive waste that is so

much more harmful to them than losing their job would be. In these hard economic times, it is

difficult to view job loss as anything more than a crisis. The amount of jobs available in New York

City though is enough that most of these people will be rehired in months. Also, in our economy

today, engineers are in high demand, and many of the people who are working at the nuclear power

plant are just that. In the long run, the health and safety of the works is the most important thing to

focus on.

In order for people to learn about the dangers of Indian Point power plant, those that are

advocating against the power plant need to make themselves heard. The evidence against the

power plant is strong because it affects people health and safety directly. Small groups of

protesters have assembled at hearings about the power plant. One woman named Luna Scarano

testified against the power plant at a committee hearing that was held to discuss the energy

alternatives to Indian Point. Scarano spoke passionately to the committee about the threat that

Indian Point poses to her and others living within its radius. She demanded an investment in

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renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and tidal power, energy that is omnipresent and can

be harnessed with technology available now (Rugh). Lunas words were strong and her message

was clear. Shut down Indian Point before there is a disaster that we will regret! The committee

continued their hearings after Luna spoke, but one committee member later stated that Scaranos

passionate message had not been overlooked by the audience (Rugh).

It is trivial moving forward in this controversy that more individuals like Luna Scarano

speak out. In order for people to truly make this controversy personal and feel the threat that it

poses to them and their loved ones, they need to realize that there are other options available to

them that dont include radioactive exposure. Since the effects of nuclear exposure arent staring

us in the face, we dont put much thought into it. However, this is a serious problem that will have

huge repercussions in the years to come. We not only have an obligation to ourselves, but also to

the environment to protect living things from being exposed to radiation. The effects of nuclear

exposure are very real, ranging from radiation sickness to cancer. The types of toxins that we

expose ourselves to now could also present themselves in later generations as birth defects. The

thought that we could harm our children through the poor decisions that we make now is one that

should stop us in our tracks. In order to utilize nuclear energy, we need to be as careful as we

possibly can to ensure that the damage we cause is as minimal as possible. The existence of

nuclear power plants like Indian Point promotes carelessness when handling such harmful

chemicals. There is a lot of good that can come from the use of nuclear energy, but we must protect

the environment and ourselves before we can fully appreciate its value. Citizens of New York must

protest the resigning of the licenses for the nuclear reactors at the Indian Point power plant in order

for us to turn a new leaf in handling nuclear power plants globally. The dangers of Indian Point are

greater than any positive outcome the power plant could offer.

Works Cited:

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Cho, Renee. "Indian Point: Safe, Secure and Vital or an Unacceptable Risk?"

Columbia Law School. N.p., 6 Mar. 2012. Web. 16 Apr. 2012..

"Close Indian Point." Riverkeeper. N.p., Apr. 2012. Web. 4 May 2012..

Dunning, Dennis J, Steve Lockfort, and Quentin E Ross. " New York Power

Authority uses decision analysis to schedule refueling of its Indian Point

3 nuclear power plant." Interfaces 31.5 (2001): 121-135. EBSCO Host. Web.27 Apr. 2012. .

"Environment N.Y. Says Indian Point Threatens Water." Peakwater.org. N.p., 1 Feb. 2012. Web.==7 Feb. 2012. .

Farley, John. "There is Life- and Energy- After Indian Point." Thirteen. New York Public Media,

==24 Oct. 2011. Web. 6 Feb. 2012. .

Marcus, Gail H. "Nuclear Power After Fukushima." Mechanical Engineering 133.12

(2011): 26-29. EBSCO Host. Web. 29 Apr. 2012..

Rugh, Peter. "Testify Against Indian Point." Socialistworker.org. N.p., 17 Jan. 2012. Web. 5

Mar. 2012. .

"Siding With A.G. Schneiderman, Feds Deny Indian Point's Requests For Over 100

Fire Safety Exemptions ." Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman. N.p., 1

Feb. 2012. Web. 16 Apr. 2012. .

"Skepticism Grows About Safety Of Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant." CBS New York. N.p.,==18 Mar. 2011. Web. 6 Feb. 2012. .