Court Overrides Ban, Allows Nuclear Plant to Dump Radioactive Waste into Hudson River

In a controversial decision, a federal court has ruled that the decommissioned Indian Point nuclear plant in New York can continue to dump radioactive waste into the Hudson River. The ruling overrides a 2023 ban on releasing treated wastewater into the river, which was the result of a public campaign to "Save the Hudson."

The court's decision will allow the nuclear energy company Holtec to release approximately 45,000 gallons of treated wastewater from the Indian Point plant into the Hudson River annually. This wastewater, which mostly contains the nuclear byproduct tritium, is expected to total around 1.5 million gallons over the next several years.

While the federal government claims the tritium levels are within safe limits, the public and environmental organizations like Riverkeeper remain concerned about the long-term impact on public health and the surrounding ecosystem. There are also worries that the dumping could deter people from using the Hudson River for recreational activities like surfing and swimming.

Riverkeeper has suggested that Holtec could simply store the radioactive waste for 12 years, as tritium has a half-life of 12 years, which would significantly reduce the radioactive levels before any release. The organization has also called for additional testing and public awareness campaigns to minimize the waste's impact on the Hudson River.