Decommissioning the Pilgrim nuclear power station in Plymouth, Holtec International places profit over public and environmental safety by planning to dump radioactive and chemically contaminated industrial wastewater into Cape Cod Bay. However, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP)  has made a final determination that the MA Ocean Sanctuaries Act (OSA) makes it illegal for HOLTEC to do so. 

In the meantime,  HOLTEC is evaporating that same industrial wastewater... untreated, unfiltered, and unmonitored... into our airways, using submersion heaters in the dangerous spent fuel pool water under the incredulous guise of raising ambient building temperature for "worker comfort". The OSA includes not only liquid but also "gaseous" materials.

The Greater Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility is alerting public officials that evaporating the wastewater containing known carcinogens raises health risks. Evaporation increases exposure to contaminants due to inhalation,  absorption, and environmental contamination. Radioactive water vapors are falling into our communities, into the bays, and into our homes.  Contaminated wastewater needs to be contained and not released into the environment.

Holtec representative Joseph Delmar agreed that, "Evaporation releases higher levels of radioactive materials due to the concentration and lack of dilution." Airborne emissions is more dangerous than surface water discharge. And both discharge methods must not happen. 

 On May 2022 at  Senator Ed Markey's Special Senate Hearing, Holtec CEO Kris Singh stated, "But we would not discharge it [wastewater] until we have consent from our stakeholders." Well, WE DO NOT CONSENT!

We now need immediate action by Governor Maura Healey to enforce the Ocean Sanctuaries Act for gaseous emissions and other state environmental protection laws  agreed upon via the MA-Holtec Settlement Agreement to immediately halt Holtec's evaporation of Pilgrim's radioactive and chemically contaminated industrial wastewater.