Manna Jo Greene, Environmental Activism Director, left, facilitates discussion onboard Clearwater as she sails off Indian Point
Local leaders, seismologists, environmentalists, nuclear experts, and regional stakeholders set sail today from Verplanck, NY for a solutions-oriented working sail aboard Hudson River Sloop Clearwater off Indian Point. As the sloop’s sails harnessed the wind on the open waters of the Hudson River, on deck participants engaged in energized discussion about the risks presented by the ongoing operation of Indian Point and ways to put an end to the region’s reliance on nuclear and fossil fuels. A second focus of discussion centered on the need for the region to invest in, and commit to, a sustainable energy infrastructure to serve the Hudson Valley.
Former Congressman John Hall with Clearwater's Power of Song set the tone by singing his No Nukes anthem, "Power"
At the 1 pm press conference, leaders emphasized their consensus that there is a need for much more rigorous investigation of nuclear power plants as part of the relicensing process, and that the time has come to transition to a safer, nuclear power-free environment with renewable energy and energy efficiency as the foundation for a job-creating green economy in the Hudson Valley.
A daylong technical conference, scheduled to take place April 25 at the Desmond Fish Library in Garrison, NY, will address the next steps in this ongoing process.
The ongoing nuclear power debate and daily updates about the situation around the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant continue to generate community debate about our country’s current and future reliance on nuclear power and the issues that the storage of spent radioactive waste presents. Clearwater hopes that through a collaborative process on the part of regional communities and through the work of its constituency, stakeholders will build a platform for a unified front to work for a green energy future.
