Conservation Law Foundation Statement Regarding Vermont Yankee Closure, Announced Today

CONTACT:

Sandra Levine, CLF, (802) 223-5992, x4013 or (802) 249-2607
Karen Wood, CLF, (978) 857-5389 or (617) 850-1722

MONTPELIER, VT  August 27, 2013 – In response to today’s announcement by Entergy that it will close and decommission Vermont Yankee in 2014, Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) issued the following statement from Sandra Levine, a Senior Attorney in CLF’s Vermont office:

“The end of Vermont Yankee is the beginning of a new chapter in Vermont’s energy future,” said Sandra Levine, a Senior Attorney at Conservation Law Foundation in Vermont. “The state has been saddled with this poorly managed, uneconomic dinosaur for far too long, enduring environmental damage and the persistent threats to public health and safety that come with operating a nuclear power plant well beyond its planned life. Vermonters, who have fought vigorously for more than a decade to shut the plant down, will not be sorry to see the back of Vermont Yankee.”

Levine continued, “Ultimately, old technology, whether nuclear or coal-fired, cannot compete with newer, more efficient resources, renewable energy and energy efficiency. New England is undergoing a massive technology transition that is hastening the demise of old power plants throughout the region. Vermont is leading the way into an era of smarter, more efficient ways to generate electricity and is well-positioned on its way to a nuclear-free, fossil-fuel free energy future.”

Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) protects New England’s environment for the benefit of all people. Using the law, science and the market, CLF creates solutions that conserve our natural resources, build healthy communities, and sustain a vibrant economy region-wide. Founded in 1966, CLF is a nonprofit, member-supported organization with offices in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.