New York investigates radioactive leak in groundwater near city
Governor Andrew Cuomo orders review following detection of ‘alarming levels
of radioactivity’ at nuclear power plant 40 miles north of Manhattan
Sam Thielman and Alan Yuhas in New York
The Guardian US, Saturday February 6, 2016 18.24 EST
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/feb/06/new-york-city-groundwater-radioactivity-investigation-indian-point-nuclear-power
Radioactive material has leaked into the groundwater below a nuclear power
plant north of New York City, prompting a state investigation on Saturday
and condemnation from governor Andrew Cuomo.
Cuomo ordered an investigation into "alarming levels of radioactivity" found
at three monitoring wells at the Indian Point energy center in Buchanan, New
York, about 40 miles north of Manhattan.
"Our first concern is for the health and safety of the residents close to
the facility and ensuring the groundwater leak does not pose a threat,"
Cuomo wrote in a letter that directed health and environmental officials to
investigate.
In one location radioactivity levels rose nearly 65,000%, from 12,300
picocuries per liter to over 8,000,000 picocuries per liter. The
Environmental Protection Agency’s maximum contaminant level for tritium in
drinking water is 20,000 picocuries per liter, though Entergy, the company
that owns the plant, emphasized that only groundwater, and not drinking
water, were contaminated.
The governor’s office said the contamination had not moved offsite. Cuomo
has encouraged Entergy to shut down Indian Point, but to keep its other
plants further upstate open.
He directed health and environmental officials "to determine the extent of
the release, its likely duration, cause and potential impacts to the
environment and public health".
"While elevated tritium in the ground onsite is not in accordance with our
standards, there is no health or safety consequence to the public," Entergy
said in a statement released late Saturday. "Releases are more than a
thousand times below federal permissible limits. The tritium did not affect
any source of drinking water onsite or offsite."
The plant supplies roughly 30% of the electricity consumed by New York City.
Indian Point had three emergency shutdowns in December, prompting the
governor’s office to launch, and then expand, an inquiry into operations and
safety standards at the facility.
There have been many tritium leaks at the plant in recent years, though
Saturday’s leak appears to be the most serious so far. Public service
commission chair Audrey Zibelman faces a deadline for the results of the
pre-existing investigation by President’s Day, 15 February.
"This latest failure at Indian Point is unacceptable," Cuomo said in a
statement. "This is not the first such release of radioactive water at
Indian Point," he said, adding: "this failure continues to demonstrate that
Indian Point cannot continue to operate in a manner that is protective of
public health and the environment."
Tritium is a radioactive hydrogen isotope that cannot penetrate the skin;
however, it is considered a health risk for illnesses, including cancer.
The governor’s office did not immediately respond to request for further
comment on the beginning of the leak and its duration.
