Environmentalists appeal Millstone nuke ruling

["Sandy Perle" <sandyfl@earthlink.net>]

Thursday May 13, 5:17 pm Eastern Time

Environmentalists appeal Millstone nuke ruling

HARTFORD, Conn., May 13 (Reuters) - Several environmental 
groups on Thursday asked a superior court to reverse its earlier 
ruling which allows the restart of the Millstone 2 nuclear reactor in 
Waterford, Conn.  

The environmentalists said their appeal is aimed at boosting stocks 
of flounder and other types of fish in Long Island Sound.  

Fish Unlimited and co-plaintiffs including Truth About Radiation 
asked Hartford Superior Court Judge Robert Hale to reinstate a 
temporary order that blocked Northeast Utilities (NU - news) from 
bringing the 880-megawatt reactor back on line.  

Hale ruled last Friday that overfishing, rather than the nuclear plant, 
was responsible for a decline in winter flounder in Niantic Bay.  

``There was no factual or legal support for the (judge's) decision,'' 
Scott Cullen, a lawyer for East Hampton, Conn.-based Truth About 
Radiation, told Reuters.  

``There is strong evidence from independent biologists that makes 
the case that (the nuclear plant has) a very big impact on the (fish) 
stocks in the Niantic River and possibly even a larger regional 
impact,'' Cullen said.  

``We think the evidence that was entered by Northeast Utilities 
from their own biologist is clearly biased, and the judge didn't allow 
any rebuttal to that testimony,'' Cullen said.  

Berlin, Conn.-based Northeast Utilities is New England's biggest 
electric utility. Its Millstone 2 plant is now being restarted after a 
three-year shutdown due to safety concerns.  

The action by Fish Unlimited, a conservation group based on 
Shelter Island, N.Y., seeks a reinstatement of the temporary 
restraining order until the winter flounder spawning season ends on 
June 15.  

Cullen said other types of fish are harmed by Millstone 2 as well, 
but that the legal action focuses on flounder because there is more 
documentation of the plant's allegedly harmful effects on this breed 
than on other varieties of marine life.  

A Northeast Utilities spokesman said Millstone 2's effects on fish 
have been minimal.  

``We presented a strong case in court, and backed it with expert 
witnesses,'' Northeast spokesman Joe Pillittere told Reuters. ``We 
showed that there is minimal impact on Long Island Sound.  
The judge's decision speaks for itself.''

Sandy Perle
E-Mail: sandyfl@earthlink.net 
Personal Website: http://www.geocities.com/capecanaveral/1205

"The object of opening the mind, as of opening 
the mouth, is to close it again on something solid"
              - G. K. Chesterton -
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