The Bronx is on the verge of a housing and economic renaissance. Thousands of luxury and affordable market-rate housing units are slated to be developed in the Bronx over the next several years. And Chelsea Craft Brewing Company, which moved its operations from Manhattan to the Bathgate Industrial Park just last year, is now bringing hundreds of new jobs with its expansion plans.
The new housing units will be home to thousands of families who will need reliable and affordable electricity to power their household appliances, Smart-phones, Smart-TVs, iPads and tablets, stereo music systems, baby monitors, and on and on.
Chelsea Craft Brewing Company was drawn to the Bathgate Industrial Park in part because of the lower rent and the site’s proximity to major highways.
The renaissance would not be possible, however, without a reliable and affordable supply of electricity for the residents, with all of their modern-day electrical demands, or for the brewery which needs to power its state-of-the-art beer-making technology.
Today, the Indian Point Energy Center helps provide the power that makes the Bronx attractive to housing developers and businesses looking for places to expand. The two nuclear units in Westchester, which supply close to one-third of the electrical energy for all NYC, are critically important for the Bronx’s renaissance. And they do it without polluting the air.
Astonishingly, however, just as the Bronx economy is beginning to grow again, New York State might slam the door shut on it by closing the plant needed to power the long-neglected borough’s growth.
Forbes magazine recently noted, “If the Governor gets his way and closes Indian Point, then New York will lose 30% of its clean energy and wind is going to have a really tough time replacing that amount of generation by 2030.”
Global investment firm UBS found that, “closing just one (of the nuclear units) today, before any more renewable resources are built, could worsen air pollution by almost 10 percent. Obviously, nuclear energy has a large role in providing emissions-free, low-cost electricity.”
Governor Cuomo recently lauded plans to build four new Metro-North commuter rail stations in the Bronx. Bronxites should ask the Governor where he plans to get the electrical energy needed to power those new commuter trains slated to serve the Bronx’s growing workforce, new and relocated businesses and new housing developments.
Governor Cuomo must not undercut his commitment to the Bronx by implementing energy policies that raise the cost of doing business, living comfortably and commuting to work in the Bronx.
Bronx leaders, residents and business owners should tell the Governor we want clean, economical and reliable energy and economic growth. The Bronx must send the clear message that it supports continued operation of the Indian Point Energy Center.
Frank Fraley is president of SHARE New York, a member-based advocacy group for emissions-free energy, alternative energy and the re-licensing of the Indian Point Energy Center (IPEC) in upstate Buchanan, NY. .
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While they are at it, Bronx leaders, residents and business owners should also tell the Governor they will take care personally for the cost for the safekeeping for several millennia to come, of the existing and future spent fuel rods, without affecting other US citizens (New Yorkers and not) who do not want to continue relying on such energy source misnamed as “safe” and clean when it’s most definitely neither.
Thinking nuclear power (the in its current incarnation, ie fission-based reactors) is safe is like saying a Jug of nitroglycerine is inherently safe because, as long as nothing hits it, won’t ever explode. Similarly thinking that nuclear power is clean only because isn’t as dirty as coal, would be like saying that coal, and fossil fuels are clean and environmentally friendly because they produce 0 radioactive waste! Total absurdity riding on the propaganda that doesn’t limit itself to just twisting or bending facts and the truth, but fabricates ad-hoc lies to manipulate perception and spread misinformation and lies.
If radioactive waste was the culprit responsible for climate change and provided we maintain the same level of harm to planet and people is caused by the fossil fuels industry, would that make said industry any less polluting? It sure wouldn’t turn gasoline into pure spring water or oil spills into something the oceans would benefit from. Time to start thinking with your own heads and call the spin doctors to be accountable for their lies and fabrications. If a country like Germany (that it’s surely no Florida and much less California or Nevada) is on the path of becoming powered by 0 nuclear power with massive increase in reliance on renewables and drastically reducing dependency on fossil fuels, you can bet US can do that too several times over… where there’s a will there’s a way. That used to be the American way where nothing was considered impossible.
SHARE is a group funded by Entergy for propaganda purposes like this letter. Common Cause just published a report that details how much money went to this group and to politicians. The Bureau of Coastal Management must approve the relicensing of Indian Point. They just declined to do so because of the damage the plant does to the Hudson River. They also make clear that replacement power is already in place. Indian Point is old, dangerous and now we know it is unnecessary. Never mind the high level radioactive waste and the new leaks that have just been made public.
This statement is especially troubling since Governor Cuomo has just begun a new investigation into
“alarming” levels of radioactivity leaking into wells and ground water at Indian Point. There have been other
leaks and shutdowns due to the old infrastructure of the nuclear reactors. For years, residents in the immediate area have been worried about the lack of a credible evacuation plan in the event of an even worse
emergency, and the recent blizzard bringing all transportation to a halt added to those fears. Of course the
Bronx is also vulnerable in the event of a serious accident at Indian Point, where a high-pressure gas pipeline
is also in the works to send gas to New England. During shutdowns, the city has managed very well without this source of electricity,
and what the Bronx needs more than nuclear energy is safe, clean alternative energy plus increased
efficiency in buildings and business.
This opinion piece is wrong on so many levels, it’s hard to know where to begin. The Bronx is not on the verge of an “economic renaissance,” it is under assault by the forces of gentrification and is fighting back across the borough. Please see the “Principles for Private Development” written by South Bronx Unite and endorsed by organizations across our borough including Bronx Climate Justice North: http://southbronxunite.org/principles-for-private-development/
Nuclear power is on its way out. It’s not needed and it’s not “clean.” Please see an open letter to Bronx and New York State elected officials calling for the permanent shut-down of Indian Point, signed by Bronx Climate Justice North, Bronx Climate Justice South, and South Bronx Unite: http://southbronxunite.org/principles-for-private-development/ These coalitions represent many active Bronx residents who will continue to fight Indian Point and the AIM pipeline, and indeed our state’s overall addiction to dirty fossil fuels. We call for a rapid and just transition to 100% renewable energy (no nuclear power/no natural gas) for NY State by 2030. Interested in learning more? Please email bronxclimatejusticenorth@gmail.com
Apologies, here is the correct link for the BCJN/BCJS/SBU open letter to NY elected officials calling for the immediate shut-down of Indian Point:
http://riverdalepress.com/stories/Close-down-Indian-Point,57326?page=1&
Best,
Jennifer Scarlott, Coordinator, Bronx Climate Justice North
It is simple. We shut it down before any more harm is incurred and repurpose it as a solar wind hydro facility. This is a Fukushima just waiting to happen. Nuclear is outdated and if after all these years we still have not come up with a solution for nuclear waste then it is to ewe move forward on clean renewable energy from the sun, our nuclear reactor which resides far from our planet.