Dear NESCAUM State Commissioner:

PRESS RELEASE

Groups Call on NY State Senate to Pass Nuclear Whistleblower Protection Bill

(Albany, NY) - A coalition of 30 groups including Citizens Awareness Network, EPL-Environmental Advocates, and the Pace Law School Energy Project are calling on the New York Senate to pass legislation that would establish a nuclear power plant whistleblower access and assistance program. The legislation has passed the Assembly and is currently before the Senate. The coalition is asking the Senate to pass this legislation when it returns to Albany this Thursday.

“New York State currently has a unique opportunity,” said Kyle Rabin, air and energy program associate for EPL-Environmental Advocates. This bill acknowledges that a key element to the safe operation of nuclear power plants is a work environment that encourages employees to come forward with any concerns they may have regarding reactor operation safety.”

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) admits that it can only oversee a small portion of the nuclear industry and relies on plant employees to identify potential safety problems. Unfortunately, the system doesn’t always work. “In this era of electric utility deregulation, which nuclear safety watchdogs believe will force plant operators to cut costs in a manner that jeopardizes worker health and public safety, protection of responsible workers is of paramount concern,” said Rabin.

“Workers at New York's reactors are really under fire,” said Tim Judson of Citizens Awareness Network, a grassroots regional group. “They have been suffering lost jobs, excessive contamination, and harassment. It's only getting worse with deregulation and the reactors being sold. The new companies potentially taking over have a record of firing workers, postponing maintenance, and marginalizing safety. If New York wants nuclear operators to cut costs, then it has to increase protection for the workers. You can't have it both ways with nuclear safety.”

“This bill is a common sense approach to protecting workers while making available to the public and government regulators problems that could result in deterioration of safety at nuclear power plants,” said Ed Smeloff, executive director of Pace Energy Project.

The whistleblower access and assistance program contains a number of provisions including: (1) NYSERDA (New York State Energy Research and Development Authority) evaluation of nuclear whistleblower protection programs proposed by nuclear power plant operators, (2) the establishment of a toll-free telephone line available to employees of nuclear power plants that will offer advice regarding employee rights and protections pursuant to state and federal laws and present opportunities for access to senior management for purposes of communicating safety-related concerns, and (3) a requirement that a preliminary evaluation of any safety concern identified by an employee be performed within 72 hours.

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EPL/Environmental Advocates

Pace Law School Energy Project

June 20, 2000

PRESS RELEASE