Clearwater Environmental Action

Indian Point Fish Kills Sample Letter

Letter is addressed to:

Erin M. Crotty, Commissioner
NYS DEC
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12233-1011

Send a copy to:

Governor George Pataki
Executive Chamber
New York State Capitol
Albany, NY 12224
Please help Clearwater convince DEC to upgrade the cooling technology on these plants to preserve and restore the Hudson ecosystem. Write a letter to DEC Commissioner Erin Critty, and send a copy to Governor Pataki, reminding them of their commitment to the Hudson River, and urging them to end the fish kills at the Hudson River power plants. Contact Andy or Manna Jo for more information.

Here is a sample letter you can use when writing your own letter.

Ms. Erin Critty, Commissioner
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

Address
address

Date

Dear Commissioner Crotty:

I am writing to urge you and your staff to issue - or deny - long-overdue SPDES permits for the cooling water intakes and discharges at Indian Point. I understand that there are many complex issues involved, but there has been ample time for study.

By allowing Indian Point to operate without requiring best-available-technology, you are in effect subsidizing the plant with a severely impacted Hudson River ecosystem and fishery, with possibly massive economic ramifications that extend beyond the river to the coastal fisheries of New England. This subsidy is not only unfair to other regional economic entities, it is irrational within the context of deregulated electricity production. You are allowing Indian Point to operate with a significant competitive advantage, delaying the potential benefits of true competition.

I believe that you could best serve the Hudson River and its communities by implementing the requirements of the Clean Water Act and the State Pollution Discharge and Elimination System.

By issuing a draft permit you will allow the people of the Hudson Valley an opportunity to voice their strong opposition to the massive levels of fish mortality caused by once-through cooling water intake and heated-water discharges.

By denying Indian Point its permit, you will be sending a strong message to Entergy and the other power plant operators that the days of reckless natural resource abuse have come to an end.

Whatever regulatory option you choose, I urge you to hold Entergy accountable for the Clean Water Act’s requirement to install a best-technology cooling system - one that would readily reduce the cooling water takings from billions of gallons a day to a few million, with a proportional reduction in environmental impact.

Thank you very much,

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