“It is by now common knowledge from the findings of the 9/11 Commission Report, interviews with planners of the 9/11 attack and other intelligence that (1) an attack on U.S. nuclear power plants was envisioned as part of the original terrorist plan; (2) when Mohammed Atta saw Indian Point during his surveillance flights of the Hudson, he gave consideration to changing the target of American flight 11 to Indian Point; and (3) U.S. nuclear power plants remain key targets.”

 

-- Michael H. Levy, a retired U.S. Army Ranger Captain; addressing Indian Point concerns at an Ossining Town Board Meeting on November 1, 2005

 

 

Once in a while, I’ll find myself driving north, along the Hudson River. Ideally, this drive is at its best during the summer as the sun sets. There is no better time of the day than the twilight period, especially as you drive along the scenic river. As the sun’s captivating streaks lay delicately along the sky and the night begins to make its presence with a preview of stars, the twilight captures the beauty of both day and night. Accompanying this period when the sun gracefully departs and the moon begins her shift, are the gentle river breezes that blanket the area. These light gusts would create shimmering patterns on the water’s surface. This is the Hudson.

 

But these getaways end abruptly. The sun’s fading colors would brush along the shore and forests until the natural collided with the artificial. You could see the colors disappear on the dead surface of concrete and steel. A vicious barbed-wire fence displays partially-shredded plastic grocery bags, which are held captive in its jagged teeth. Two massive domes stick out of the land like tumors. The river breeze that once provided comfort and tranquility now leaves your body shivering. As you drive by Indian Point, your mind feels uneasy. Some may say that these are signs of nature’s distress and weakness, but I like to think that this is her way of giving us warning. Indian Point didn’t belong on the river. Like an apple with a bright and shiny appearance on one side, and a white, moldy growth on the other side, Indian Point has a parasitic presence. The nuclear power plant’s ugly appearance represents much more than a contrast between nature’s beauty and man’s artificiality: the plant represents fear and vulnerability.

 

The 9/11 attacks marked the beginning of this widespread fear. Throughout our neighborhoods, cities, and counties, families were having the type of discussions at the dinner table that would surely spoil any appetite. People began to think the unthinkable. We started asking questions:

 

“Could Indian Point Power Plant become a target for terrorists?”

 

“Who’s guarding the plant?”

 

“Is the plant bomb-proof? Is it plane-proof?”

 

“In the case of an attack, who would be affected? How much of a radius would this explosion/blast cover? Who’s in the “safe-area?” (and believe me, we all checked)

 

“Is there an evacuation plan?”

 

“Can we shut it down?”

 

“What can we do?”

 

And they answered.

 

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) tried to assure us that there was no cause for alarm. While this may seem like the type of response that we’d want to hear, we know that there is little honesty and merit behind their statements. The individuals at the NRC, who are in charge of protecting citizens and regulating the nuclear-power industry, are utterly incompetent.

 

If you asked Dupont whether or not their chemicals contained harmful carcinogens that posed serious risks to the public health, what would they say?

 

If you asked Philip Morris if they covertly advertised to children, what would you expect their answer to be?

 

You wouldn’t ask the Food and Drug Administration about the safety of the drugs that pharmaceutical companies put on the market, would you?

 

Entergy is the owner of the Indian Point Power Plant. This $9 billion corporation has spent millions on its PR campaign and is a major player in the powerful nuclear industry lobby. The NRC and Entergy are inseparable.

 

As years went by and more news reports are published, we are confronted with the scary reality again and again; the plant is unsafe, poorly-managed, not adequately protected, and falling apart.

 

To give you an idea of the type of news we’ve received over the years concerning Indian Point, here are some news headlines:

 

“Small Leak at Indian Point Eludes Diver and Cameras” (New York Times 11/26/2005)

 

“Indian Point sirens fail in Orange County” (The Journal News 10/19/05)

 

“Doubts about evacuating region abound” (The Journal News 9/25/05)

 

“Radioactive water leak stopped at Indian Point; cause still unknown” (Journal News 1/6/06)

 

“Halt tritium leaks at Indian Point” (Poughkeepsie Journal 12/13/05)

 

“Security review long overdue for Indian Point, other nuclear plants.” (AP 11/1/05)

 

“Officials to See If Tainted Water Reaching Drinking Supply” (WNBC 10/20/05)

 

“NRC still quiet on Indian Point concerns” (The Legislative Gazette 10/3/05)

 

“New York State Chides NRC for Late Notification of Indian Point Leak” (WNBC 9/22/05)

 

“Hairline cracks discovered in Indian Point fuel storage building” (MidHudsonNews.com 9/20/05)

 

“Another Siren Failure at Indian Point” (1010 Wins News 9/16/05)

 

“Indian Pt. warning sirens fail once again” (The Journal News 8/15/05)

 

“Report Finds Security Flaws at Indian Point” (New York Times 12/8/02)

 

“Plant security under fire - Training is phony, says guard at Indian Point” (Times-Herald Record 12/2/02)

 

News of radiation leaks, malfunctioning sirens, faulty evacuation plans, and the NRC’s reluctance to take action is old news. It has come to the point where reading these headlines gives us little or no shock.

 

There are only so many empty promises, bureaucracy, stonewalling, and lies an individual can handle before he or she gives up. The individuals that have yet to throw in the towel for this battle are most likely members of the numerous advocacy/citizen groups.

 

You know, the types of groups that run by the motto, “Better misled than dead.” It’s sad to watch individuals in denial... Individuals that think selling buttons and waving signs will change politics… These are good-hearted people; much like the folks at Indian Point Safe Energy Coalition (IPSEC).

 

 I spoke with one of the representatives from Indian Point Safe Energy Coalition (IPSEC) the other day. I was watching television when my cell-phone rang. The representative introduced herself and asked how I was? I said I was “okay,” but I knew there was some secret agenda behind this phone call. She mentioned an upcoming meeting with the NRC and then, went on about how important attendance to NRC meetings is. She said, “We can strengthen our impact” with the presence of more plant opponents. I replied, “Yeah” and just waited for her to ask me if I would attend. “Do you think you could attend this meeting?” (I’m on the IPSEC phone and mailing lists. I think I wanted one of their free bumper stickers at one point. I never got one.) I answered, “No. I can’t. I’m in Plattsburgh, New York, at the moment.” She understood and told me she’d call me for the next meeting. I suppose I could attend the next meeting. Maybe If I held up a “No Nukes” poster, I could get one of the Nuclear Regulatory Committee members to laugh. At least something positive would come out of my presence at the meeting.

           

It’s not the fault of these ordinary citizens. We elect politicians to represent our views and fight for what we believe in. New York is very lucky to have politicians that share with us these concerns, like Attorney General Eliot Spitzer; a vocal critic of Indian Point. Well, as they say, “talk is cheap.”

 

On February 8 2006, The Journal News reported that Entergy’s political action committee, ENPAC, had given political contributions to Spitzer. The article states, “Contributions to Spitzer are among tens of thousands of dollars that the PAC has given to candidates around the state. Gov. George Pataki, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton have also received money from Entergy's political arm.”

 

I called Senator Clinton’s Washington D.C. office to ask about these contributions. Hillary’s representative assured me that these contributions will not sway Hillary’s stance on the plant. Clinton’s representative also made it clear that these contributions were “100% legal under the law.” At this point, I was losing interest in the phone call. Prior to hanging up, I asked the representative to pass on a message from me. I said, “I urge Senator Clinton to support Senator Feingold’s measure to censure the President for his illegal wiretapping.” I brought that up for the hell of it.

 

A couple of months ago, I logged onto the Indian Point Safe Energy Coalition’s website. On their homepage, they had an announcement stating that their order of yellow rubber-duckies had arrived. These little ducks had the ISPEC logo and an anti-Indian Point message printed on their bodies. Never has the symbolism of the vulnerability to a nuclear holocaust looked so cute.

 

On that note, I’ll leave you with an excerpt from the “FAQ” section off of Entergy’s Indian Point Power Plant website. (Note: This isn’t satire)

 

What would happen if a large aircraft struck Indian Point?

 

The reactors and most radioactive materials in the plants are within containment structures of high-strength steel-reinforced concrete that is 3½ to 4½ feet thick, with a half-inch steel inner liner. They are designed to safeguard plant personnel and the community even under extreme scenarios.

 

There have been several tests of containment-like facilities using aircraft. In one test an F-4 Phantom fighter jet collided at 480 mph with a target similar to a nuclear containment facility, and did not penetrate the structure. Even a larger aircraft could not penetrate because the steel-reinforced concrete is designed to resist and disperse the impact.

 

(Yes, you’ve read correctly. Apparently, a 747 will most likely disintegrate on contact with a 4-foot piece of concrete.)

 

Jeremy Schneider is a freelance writer from Rockland County, NY.