Surveillance at New York nuclear plants to continue

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Surveillance at New York nuclear plants to continue Copyright APonline

The Associated Press

NEW YORK (October 20, 2001 12:08 p.m. EDT) - Gov. George Pataki said around-the clock surveillance of the Indian Point nuclear power plants will continue, three days after the Coast Guard announced it will soon halt routine patrols on the Hudson River.

The governor, who made a visit to the facility Friday morning, said state and federal officials would continue to assess the long-term security needs at the facility and the Coast Guard will remain on site until completion of the review.

On Tuesday, Rear Admiral R.E. Bennis told Entergy Nuclear, the owner of the power plants, that the Coast Guard would no longer provide 24-hour security, "and will be conducting only random patrols in the near future," starting Monday.

Entergy officials said the company was confident it could protect the plant.

But Rep. Sue Kelly, R-N.Y., whose district includes the two plants, called the Coast Guard's decision misguided and unwise.

In a letter to James Kallstrom, the state's new anti-terrorism coordinator, Rep. Nita Lowey, D-Harrison, wrote: "Your security expertise is urgently needed at Indian Point. The public must be assured that Indian Point is secure on all fronts - air, land and water."

The nation's nuclear power plants - 103 reactors at 64 sites in 31 states - have been under heightened alert since the terrorist attacks. National Guard troops were assigned by Pataki to nuclear power plants across the state to provide additional assistance.

The National Guard also has been deployed to reactors in other states.

http://www.nandotimes.com/nation/story/147933p-1445750c.html

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), October 20, 2001


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