For Immediate Release:

June 23, 2000

Contact:

Kyle Rabin, EPL/Environmental Advocates: 518-462-5526 x 238

New York State Senate Misses Opportunity to Pass Legislation

that Would Protect Nuclear Safety, Employees and Ratepayers

(Albany, NY) – The New York Senate has concluded the 2000 legislative session without addressing a number of important issues related to New York’s nuclear power industry. “Nuclear safety is of paramount concern, especially in light of electric utility deregulation,” said Kyle Rabin, air and energy program associate for EPL / Environmental Advocates.

Yet, the Senate failed to support and pass legislation that would protect nuclear safety, employees and ratepayers during the transition period leading up to “full competition” within the new energy market.

- Nuclear Whistleblower Protection: This legislation (S. 7354a) acknowledges “that an essential component of any nuclear safety strategy is a program which assures that employees who have first-hand knowledge of potential safety problems can freely communicate their concerns without fear of retaliation.” The bill would establish the Nuclear Whistleblower Access and Assistance Program which would require the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to evaluate and comment on whistleblower programs proposed by operators of nuclear power plants AND establish 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. The bill would also require a nuclear operator to conduct a preliminary evaluation of any safety concern identified by an employee within 72 hours. This legislation has passed the Assembly (A. 971a-Brodsky). Responding to nuclear industry lobbyists’ inaccurate claims that enough protections exist at the federal level, Senators Bruno and Wright have prevented the passage of this legislation (S. 7394 –Morahan).

- Nuclear Divestiture: This bill, introduced by Assemblyman Tonko (A, 11261a), seeks to foster a more critical analysis of the potential impacts associated with individual sales by requiring the Public Service Commission to prohibit electric utilities from selling their nuclear assets unless their disposition plan for the sale of nuclear power plants clearly argues that the sale of the asset or assets is in the public interest and that environmental quality, nuclear safety, ratepayers, employees, and real property tax revenues are not adversely impacted. This bill does not have a Senate sponsor.

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