|
|
| |
Jerry
Kremer
Chairman of the Advisory Board of New
York AREA
Former Chairman – New York State Assembly Ways & Means
Committee
March 29, 2005
Thank you for joining us.
Tonight, the anti-nuclear group Riverkeeper will launch what
they are calling a campaign kickoff to deny re-licensing for
the Indian Point Energy Center and advance their cause to close
the plants. But it’s really an attempt to breathe life
into what has become a tired and discredited campaign.
It would be nice to ignore Riverkeeper’s membership campaign,
except for the fact that they are promoting an agenda that would
wreak havoc on both our regional economy and the environment.
Considering all the criticism over air quality in this region,
New York needs the clean power that Indian Point provides and
will need it even more in the years to come. That’s why
a diverse group of business, labor, environmental, and community
leaders have come here today.
On a typical day, Indian Point provides 20 to 30 percent of
the power used in New York City and a large portion used in
Westchester County, particularly for public buildings and facilities.
It is safe, clean, emission-free, low-cost, and reliable power.
Indian Point has achieved the highest safety ratings from the
Nuclear Regulatory Commission. For three and a half years since
the tragedy of 9/11, the Center has been under a security microscope
and excelled at rigorous security drills conducted by numerous
agencies.
So long as these plants continue to operate at the highest levels
of safety, there should be no discussion about replacing Indian
Point. Rather, public debate should be centered on how we should
add to the perilously low power supply in this region as demand
grows and the energy supply gap grows with it.
We need additional forms of reliable, affordable, and clean
electric power generation. We need a new power plant siting
law from Albany. The old one expired 27 months ago and there
have been no new significant power plant proposals since that
time. We need to focus on creating a stable energy infrastructure
so that companies will expand in the region, hire more workers,
and re-locate here
.
I’m pleased to introduce George Oros, Minority Leader
in the Westchester County Legislature. Thank you.
Tom Klein
Norris McDonald
Ann Van Buren
Paul Vitale
Back to
Press Conference
|
|
