Justice Dept. Joins Lawsuit to Block Dismantling of N.Y. Nuclear Plant
The Justice Department joined in a lawsuit Friday aimed at blocking the dismantling of the Shoreham nuclear power plant in New York, arguing that the state failed to follow its own procedures for safeguarding the environment.
The intervention in a state court came on behalf of the Energy Department, which has strongly opposed the shutdown of the 813-megawatt plant on Long Island on the grounds that it is needed to meet the region’s electricity needs.
W. Henson Moore, deputy energy secretary, said the Justice Department is arguing that the New York Power Authority and the state Public Service Commission should have prepared formal environmental impact statements before approving the dismantling plan.
Moore called the plant “safe, efficient, and much-needed” and said its closure would require the region to rely more heavily on fossil fuel, which in turn will have “adverse environmental consequences” because of emissions that contribute to acid rain and may lead to global warming.
Plaintiffs in the suit are some Long Island residents and a group called Scientists and Engineers for Secure Energy.
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