BEACON, NY – America’s Environmental Flagship, the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater will be holding a special Renewable Energy sail on Saturday, May 26th from 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM departing from the Cold Spring dock in Putnam County. Clearwater’s Renewable Energy sail will benefit Clearwater’s David vs Goliath legal battle against the NYS Public Service Commission to cease the $7.6 billion subsidy imposed on New York State ratepayers to bail out aging nuclear plants in New York. The sail will include guest speakers, including the attorneys for the case and experts on renewable energy. Light refreshments will be served. Music will be provided by Sarah Underhill and friends. A small silent auction will feature unique and interesting items. Tickets for the fundraising sail are $100/adults $50/children and are available at clearwater.org.
What’s going on with Clearwater’s legal battle? Clearwater and the other petitioners defeated a motion by the PSC and nuclear reactor owners to dismiss the case, which is now moving towards a dispositive hearing. The PSC and the reactor owners filed their answers, but submitted what Clearwater and the other petitioners believe to be an insufficient factual record. In particular, the petitioners are objecting to the PSC’s withholding, on a claim of trade secret protection, the financial information on which it allegedly based its determination that the subsidy from ratepayers was necessary to keep the reactors running. Papers have been submitted to the judge, and his decision is being awaited. Clearwater and the other petitioners will need to write and file final legal and factual arguments, and a hearing may also be required.
Since the 1970s, Clearwater has worked to protect the ecology of the Hudson River and the well-being of all the people living in its watershed – by ensuring that PCBs are cleaned up from the Hudson River, by working to close down the aging and leaking nuclear power plant at Indian Point, and by supporting the development of renewable energy sources that are non-polluting.
Visit Clearwater.org for tickets to the sail. Supporters may make a donation to this important legal battle by selecting ‘Article 78 challenge to NY nuclear subsidy’ from the dropdown menu on Clearwater’s donation page.
