Norris McDonald
President
African American Environmentalist Association
March 29, 2005

For a group that proclaims to be an “environmental” organization, it is amazing that Riverkeeper overlooks the important environmental benefits that Indian Point provides.

A study by TRC Environmental Corp. found that if Indian Point’s power could somehow be replaced by the same mix of other power sources that currently serve New York State, air pollution would increase by more than 14 million tons annually. These harmful pollutants would be emitted in the form of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and particulate matter. Such emissions are linked to such health problems as asthma, other respiratory illnesses, and heart and lung diseases

Compounding this, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently reported that New York City and several downstate counties do not currently meet seven-year-old standards for particulate pollution that causes thousands of premature deaths each year.

Closing Indian Point would require the region to get more power from more polluting plants. That is bad for the environment – and bad for people, especially more vulnerable members of our society like the young and old, as well as inner-city minorities who already live in high risk areas like the sections of Queens known as “asthma alley.”

Riverkeeper should reconsider its position on Indian Point and do the environmentally sensible thing – support its continued operation so that New Yorkers can breathe easier and longer thanks to more efficient power generation.
Thank you.