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Astorino Issues Statement On Indian Point Radioactive Water Leak

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino released a statement regarding the radioactive water leak reported last week at Indian Point. The statement is as follows:

Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino

Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino

Photo Credit: Zak Failla

This weekend, Entergy, the owner and operator of Indian Point, put out a report on its groundwater monitoring program at the power plant in Buchanan.

First and foremost, my concern is for the safety of the plant, the groundwater around it and the residents of Westchester County. To ensure our safety, I have been in direct contact with senior Entergy officials, who have briefed me and members of my administration.

These conversations have been constructive. Entergy has been very candid in saying elevated levels of tritium, a radioactive isotope of hydrogen, were found in 3 of 40 testing sites as part of its longtime review program. The company says that these elevated levels are more than one thousand times below federal permissible limits, that the tritium did not affect any source of drinking water onsite or offsite and that remediation plans are being put in place.

The county will continue to verify and monitor the situation. Getting the facts and understanding them are critically important to serving the public interest. False hysteria is not.

With the issue placed in proper context, focus shifts to remediation and prevention. Toward that end, the county is working with Entergy and has contacted the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the federal agency charged with monitoring and licensing Indian Point, to ensure that the tritium poses no danger to the public today or at any time in the future.

Indian Point, which supplies about 25 percent of the electricity for New York City and Westchester, remains a critical source of energy. The role of government is to make sure all sources of energy can be delivered to citizens in a safe manner. As County Executive, I am committed to making sure that all the necessary safeguards are in place at Indian Point and that those responsible for monitoring them are fulfilling their obligations to protect the public's safety.

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