Cape Downwinders to host nuclear power forum November 1 in Hyannis

Group determined to shut Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant in Plymouth down

Article | News | October 29, 2013 - 7:29am | By CapeCodToday Staff

 

On Friday, November 1, Cape Downwinders will continue their efforts to shut down the Pilgrim Nuclear Station in Plymouth at an educational forum in Hyannis. The group's Barnstable Educational

Forum will be held at 7 p.m. at the Hyannis Youth and Community Center on Bassett Lane.

The forum panel includes Cape Downwinder members David Agnew and Nina Trepper. State Rep. Brian Mannal (D-Barnstable), Stephanie G. Wall, MD and Cape Cod Bay Watch member Karen Vale will round out the panel.

The forum comes four days before Barnstable voters weigh in on Ballot Question 1 during the November 5 general election.

 

Question 1 calls on Governor Patrick to shut down Pilgrim and maintains in the event of a nuclear incident, Cape Codders are not safe and will not be able to effectively and safely evacuate.

Question 1 is not binding and reads:

"Whereas, Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) Director
Kurt Schwartz has acknowledged that Cape residents and visitors are "in
harm's way" in the event of a radiological accident at the Pilgrim Nuclear
Power Station in Plymouth;

Whereas, MEMA has determined that Cape residents and visitors will not be
evacuated but plans to relocate Cape citizens after exposure to dangerous
radioactive materials released in an accident;

Whereas, citizens of the Town of Barnstable find this State response to
Pilgrim's threat to our health and safety unacceptable and in violation of the
public trust;

Therefore, we the people of the Town of Barnstable respectfully request
Governor Deval Patrick to call upon the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to
uphold their mandate to shut Entergy’s Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station in

Plymouth because the public safety, particularly Cape and Islands residents and visitors, cannot be assured.

According to Cape Downwinders, Barnstable is the only town on Cape Cod that has yet to vote and pass the ballot question.

 

Rep. Mannal, a supporter of the ballot question said, "If there is a nuclear accident or a terrorist attack at the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant, then the residents of Barnstable will be left to their own devices to evacuate because, quite frankly, there is no evacuation plan for us. If you think that there are traffic problems with getting on and off of Cape Cod on a holiday weekend, just imagine the chaos that would ensue in the event of a nuclear catastrophe."

 

http://www.capecodtoday.com/article/2013/10/29/22428-cape-downwinders-host-nuclear-power-forum-november-1-hyannis