A bill that would ban the dumping of radioactive waste in the Hudson River as the Indian Point Energy Center is decommissioned is facing pushback from construction unions.
The measure passed the state Senate, though it still needs to pass the state Assembly before it can head to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s desk.
If signed, the measure would punish violators starting at $37,500 a day. Multiple violations after that would result in fines of $150,000 a day.
Lawmakers have argued that the measure is necessary to protect real estate values and economic development along the river, as well as preserve its ecology.
But opponents, including Holtec, the company that operates Indian Point, as well as the North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters, protest the legislation.
The labor group warns that the move could ultimately lead to job losses, as federal regulators have already addressed broader concerns.
“This bill may be well-intentioned, but it would halt the closure of Indian Point and lead to substantial long-term job losses in the Hudson Valley,” said Bill Banfield, the Council’s assistant executive secretary-treasurer North Atlantic States Regional. of Carpenters. “The concerns raised by the bill’s sponsors have been addressed, and EPA has developed environmentally conscious procedures that our members follow closely. A handful of misguided activists outside the our unemployed community a worthy project that provides critical blue-collar jobs.”
State Sen. Peter Harckham, who sponsored the measure with Assemblywoman Dana Levenberg, defended the measure in a statement.
“Protecting jobs versus protecting our environment and natural resources is a false choice. We need to work together to achieve both,” he said. “There are years of work on site at Indian Point and workers should not be held hostage as we face the challenges of safe closure.”
In a separate statement late Friday, Levenberg criticized efforts to scuttle the bill in his chamber. Opponents of the proposal protested outside his office earlier in the day.
“It appears to be an attempt to recruit labor in an effort to stifle public discussion of our options,” he said.
At the same time, Levenberg said “public trust in this process” is needed to move forward.
“The public perception of a dangerous and polluted river will undermine our local economy in a number of ways, hurting property values, business interests and more. We need to make sure the public is meaningfully involved in a discussion honest about our options as we move forward with closure, and that no one is being coerced or tricked into participating in a particular way,” Levenberg said. “Human ingenuity is endless, and we can find win-win solutions when we invite more voices into the conversation.”
