New York's Senator
CHARLES E. SCHUMER

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 27, 2000

SCHUMER ASKS NRC TO MEET WITH COUNTY OFFICIALS TO DISCUSS NUCLEAR STORAGE IN OSWEGO

Schumer: Communities Should Be Allowed To Voice Concerns Before NRC Final Decision Is Made

US Senator Charles E. Schumer today wrote to the Chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) asking that he meet with Oswego County legislators to discuss the New York Power Authority's (NYPA) pending application to store nuclear waste in dry casks at the James A Fitzpatrick Nuclear Plant in Oswego County.

On Tuesday, the NRC added the Holtec HI-STORM 100 to its list of approved dry cask storage systems which is the type NYPA plans on using at the Fitzpatrick facility. Although the Holtec cask system was added to the NRC's list of approved cask storage types, utilities such as NYPA who are interested in using it must demonstrate that their usage of it complies with NRC safety regulations. This stage of the process does not provide for any public comment which is why Schumer contacted the NRC today to request a meeting on behalf of Oswego County.

"While the process for considering NYPA's application does not specifically provide for a period of public comment, I believe it is important that representatives from Oswego County be given the opportunity to convey their concerns prior to any final decision by the NRC on this matter," Schumer wrote. "In so doing, the NRC will have the chance to articulate its nuclear waste policy and to ensure the County officials of its commitment to public safety."

"The issues surrounding nuclear waste in Oswego County raise significant concerns for local residents who fear their community will become a centralized storage site for nuclear waste from plants located outside the Oswego County region. These concerns include choosing the type of cask system that will provide the optimal level of environmental safeguards to the region which includes Lake Ontario, the primary source of water for Central New York," Schumer continued.

Schumer was in Oswego County last week to discuss these nuclear storage issues with County legislators and promised to contact the NRC about setting up a meeting with the local officials so that they could discuss their apprehension about the NYPA application.

A copy of Schumer's letter to the NRC is attached.

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