By Nukewatch Staff
In June, the Rainbow Warrior Collective filed a 16-page complaint to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Minnesota state regulatory agencies, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, and the Environmental Protection Agency. The Collective calls for the withdrawal of the NRC’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for Xcel Energy’s Monticello reactor license extension, and for an investigation into the 829,000 gallon leak of cooling water. Authored by Kelsey Beaumaster, Vanessa Friedhoff, and John Miller, the comprehensive review of the NRC’s DEIS concludes with these specific demands:
[1] Given the extensive scope of information that needs to be considered and the substantial public interest, we urge the NRC to re-establish and extend the public comment period for the DEIS. [2] Mandate the creation and enforcement of a legally binding agreement between Xcel and all relevant regulatory bodies to address past, present, and future contamination of drinking water, including a thorough assessment and remediation plan, transparent public reporting, funding for significant research, and independent oversight, with all costs borne by the polluter or the entity applying for a license extension. [3] Investigate the allegations regarding the evaporation of tritiated water and disclose all relevant dose calculations and health risk assessments. Require funding of independent research to prove such operations are “as safe” as alleged by Xcel Energy. [4] Ensure accountability for the manipulation of scientific data, silencing of public concerns, and the cover-up of environmental incidents, all of which constitute a deliberate deception of the public. [5] Consider appointing a Special Prosecutor to handle the investigation into the tritium leak and nuclear moratorium matters, involving the public utilities commission. This ensures transparency and impartiality, aligning with legal protocols in Minnesota.— For the full report contact nukewatch1@lakeland.ws.
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