Panel to discuss Vermont Yankee on Tuesday 1/17
Making Vermont Yankee AccountableWHAT: Forum with Panel discussion and Q&A to address what will happen when Vermont Yankee (VY) shutters in 2012. A three-person panel will talk about the federal court case of Entergy vs State of Vermont, VY transition, clean-up, long-term waste storage and the role citizens can play in the process.
WHERE: Montshire Museum of Science, Norwich, VT
WHO: Deb Katz, Executive Director of the Citizens Awareness Network;
Chris Williams, Organizer for Vermont Citizens Action Network
Robert Stannard, Citizen Lobbyist for the Vermont Citizens Action Network
Denis Rydjeski, Sierra Club
The overwhelming vote in the Senate to reject Vermont Yankee as part of Vermont’s Energy future and the legislature’s refusal to return to the issue in 2011 was a great victory, but the debate continues with Entergy suing the state and continuing its campaign to wear the legislature down to get a deal ro continue operation. So citizens must remain engaged and demand continued legislative action to support a successful transition to sustainable energy and stricter decommissioning and operational standards going forward. How Entergy will address the issues of transition, closure, decommissioning is more significant than ever.
Vermont Yankee’s power has already been replaced. But questions remain. Can citizens play a role as VY is properly dismantled, cleaned up and radioactive waste safely stored? With the slow motion Fukushima disaster highlighting the vulnerabilities of Mark ! reactors, how will the state deal with increased vulnerability of this aged reactor?
CAN has been involved with closure and decommissioning of other reactors in New England. The forums were scheduled because network members believed there is a lack of relevant information on decommissioning, the choices Entergy is making and the industry standard on decommissioning.