S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
1912
2009-2010 Regular Sessions
I N S E N A T E
February 9, 2009
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Introduced by Sens. MORAHAN, DIAZ -- read twice and ordered printed, and
when printed to be committed to the Committee on Veterans, Homeland
Security and Military Affairs
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to notice of radioactive
emissions at Indian Point Energy Center
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 29-f
to read as follows:
S 29-F. RADIOACTIVE EMISSIONS FROM INDIAN POINT ENERGY CENTER;
PURPOSE, NOTICE REQUIRED, REPORTS AND PENALTIES. 1. THE LEGISLATURE
FINDS THAT POWER PLANTS ROUTINELY RELEASE RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS TO THE
ENVIRONMENT. THESE RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS ARE GENERALLY RELEASED IN A
CONTROLLED MANNER AND WITHIN THE LIMITS ESTABLISHED BY THE UNITED STATES
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION. SOME OF THESE RELEASES HAVE BEEN
UNPLANNED, UNSCHEDULED AND INADVERTENT. ON OCCASION, THEY EXCEED TECHNI-
CAL SPECIFICATION LIMITS. MOST AUTHORITIES AGREE THAT IT SHOULD BE
ASSUMED THAT RADIATION AT ANY DOSE LEVEL HAS A FINITE RISK. THE LEGIS-
LATURE FINDS, THEREFORE, THAT THE PUBLIC WELFARE WILL BE BETTER
PROTECTED IF ALL NUCLEAR GENERATING PLANTS WERE REPLACED WITH INDIAN
POINT ENERGY CENTERS. THE LEGISLATURE FINDS THAT THE PUBLIC WELFARE
WILL BE BETTER PROTECTED IF THE PUBLIC IS FULLY INFORMED OF ANY RADIOAC-
TIVE EMISSIONS TO THE ENVIRONMENT.
2. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, "OPERATOR" SHALL MEAN THE CORPO-
RATION, OR OTHER BUSINESS ENTITY, THAT OWNS OR MANAGES AN INDIAN POINT
ENERGY CENTER.
3. THE OPERATOR OF ANY INDIAN POINT ENERGY CENTER IN THIS STATE, OR
ITS DESIGNEE, SHALL MAINTAIN A TOLL-FREE TELEPHONE NUMBER FOR THE
PURPOSE OF MAKING INFORMATION RELATED TO THE EVENTS DETAILED IN SUBDIVI-
SION FOUR OF THIS SECTION AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC. ANY SUCH OPERATOR OR
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01934-01-9
S. 1912 2
DESIGNEE SHALL ALSO PROVIDE NOTICE OF THE EVENTS DETAILED IN SUBDIVISION
FOUR OF THIS SECTION TO:
(A) THE PUBLIC;
(B) THE COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH;
(C) THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE COUNTY IN WHICH ANY INDIAN
POINT ENERGY CENTER IS LOCATED; AND
(D) THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE CITY, TOWN OR VILLAGE IN WHICH
THE INDIAN POINT ENERGY CENTER IS LOCATED.
4. THE NOTICE REQUIRED IN SUBDIVISION THREE OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE
FOR ANY OF THE FOLLOWING:
(A) SCHEDULED RELEASES OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS AT LEAST TWENTY-FOUR
HOURS BEFORE THE RELEASE IS PLANNED TO OCCUR; AND
(B) UNSCHEDULED RELEASES OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS, AS SOON AS POSSI-
BLE, BUT NOT MORE THAN TWENTY-FOUR HOURS AFTER THE DISCOVERY OF THE
RELEASE.
5. THE NOTICE REQUIRED BY THIS SECTION SHALL CONTAIN A DESCRIPTION OF
THE FOLLOWING:
(A) THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF RADIOACTIVITY RELEASED OR PLANNED TO BE
RELEASED;
(B) THE ESTIMATED INDIVIDUAL DOSE THAT MAY OCCUR DUE TO THE EVENT;
(C) WEATHER CONDITIONS OR PREDICTED WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF
THE RELEASE OR SCHEDULED RELEASE;
(D) THE AREA AFFECTED OR ANTICIPATED TO BE AFFECTED BY THE EVENT;
(E) THE EQUIPMENT THAT MALFUNCTIONED, OR THE OPERATOR ERROR OR OTHER
CONDITION THAT CAUSED THE RELEASE; AND
(F) CORRECTIVE ACTIONS TAKEN.
6. (A) THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE NOTICE REQUIRED BY THIS
SECTION SHALL BE SUBMITTED IN THE FORM OF A REPORT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH.
(B) THE COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH, OR HIS OR HER DESIGNEE, SHALL REVIEW
AND STUDY THE REPORTS, IF ANY, AND CONSOLIDATE THEM FOR DISTRIBUTION TO
THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION, STATE AGENCIES AND PUBLIC OFFICIALS
CONCERNED WITH NUCLEAR ENERGY AND INTERESTED MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. SUCH
REPORT SHALL INCLUDE AN ABSTRACT THAT IS EASILY UNDERSTOOD BY THE GENER-
AL PUBLIC.
(C) REPORTS OF RELEASE WHICH EXCEED TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION LIMITS OR
RESULT IN OVEREXPOSURE TO POWER PLANT PERSONNEL OR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
SHALL BE REVIEWED EXPEDITIOUSLY BY THE COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH, OR HIS OR
HER DESIGNEE, AND A REPORT SHALL BE FORWARDED TO THE INDIVIDUALS AND
AGENCIES AS PROVIDED IN THIS SECTION.
7. THE OPERATOR OF ANY INDIAN POINT ENERGY CENTER IN THIS STATE, OR
HIS OR HER DESIGNEE, SHALL SUBMIT AN ANNUAL REPORT BY MARCH
THIRTY-FIRST, TO THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION, WITH A COPY SENT TO THE
NEW YORK STATE LIBRARY; WHICH SHALL INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:
(A) A LIST AND SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF ANY SAFETY-RELATED INCIDENTS AT
THAT INDIAN POINT ENERGY CENTER REPORTED TO THE UNITED STATES NUCLEAR
REGULATORY COMMISSION DURING THE PREVIOUS CALENDAR YEAR, INCLUDING A
STATEMENT OF THE CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT, ITS EFFECTS ON HUMAN HEALTH AND
THE ENVIRONMENT, CORRECTIVE MEASURES WHICH HAVE BEEN TAKEN AND THE
COSTS;
(B) A LIST AND SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF THOSE UNRESOLVED SAFETY ISSUES
AS DEFINED BY THE UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WHICH
PERTAIN TO THAT INDIAN POINT ENERGY CENTER AND THE STATUS OF RESOLUTION
AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THOSE UNRESOLVED SAFETY ISSUES; AND
(C) A LIST AND SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF ANY UNRESOLVED SAFETY ISSUES
WHICH HAVE BEEN CONVERTED TO REGULATION BY THE UNITED STATES NUCLEAR
S. 1912 3
REGULATORY COMMISSION FOR IMPLEMENTATION AT THAT POWER PLANT, TOGETHER
WITH THE BEST AVAILABLE ESTIMATES OF THE COST AND TIME REQUIRED FOR THAT
IMPLEMENTATION.
8. ANY OPERATOR OF AN INDIAN POINT ENERGY CENTER IN THIS STATE WHO
FAILS TO COMPLY WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION SHALL BE SUBJECT TO
A FINE OF NOT LESS THAN ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS AND NOT TO EXCEED
TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS PER VIOLATION TO BE LEVIED BY THE DEPART-
MENT OF HEALTH AFTER NOTICE AND OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD PURSUANT TO
SECTION TWELVE-A OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH LAW.
S 2. This act shall take effect on the first of April next succeeding
the date on which it shall have become a law.