Public Hearing on Expired Pilgrim Permit: Thursday, July 21
Comment Deadline: Monday, July 25
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is updating Pilgrim's long-expired Clean Water Act permit.
It is important that you attend the public hearing on Thursday, July 21 at the Plymouth Public Library beginning at 6:15 PM, and submit comments via email by Monday, July 25.
Pilgrim has operated under an expired "NPDES" (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) permit for 20+ years – one of the longest expired such permits in the country. The NPDES permit limits the discharge of toxic substances, and requires monitoring for impacts to marine life.
For 42 years, Pilgrim has used a "once-through cooling system," allowed under its NPDES permit, taking massive amounts of seawater and killing billions of marine organisms, while also dumping hot and chemically polluted water into the bay.
NPDES permits are meant to protect our waterways, and are supposed to be updated every 5 years to ensure the most protective requirements and technologies are being used to do so.
We have urged regulators to update Pilgrim's permit – and they finally listened! The new draft permit was recently issued, but it will allow Pilgrim to keep operating with the same outdated cooling system for three more years – until the planned shutdown in 2019. The permit also sets limits on water intake and pollutants discharged to Cape Cod Bay after shutdown and during site clean-up and decommissioning activities.
Pilgrim's NPDES permit should not allow the continued use of antiquated "once-through cooling system" technology. The new permit should require any power production activities that harm Cape Cod Bay to cease prior to any re-fueling in 2017, and focus entirely on controlling and monitoring pollution and marine impacts related to post-power production activities.
June 20, 2016 at Elm Street Dam
EPA will hold a public hearing on July 21 at the Plymouth Public Library (132 South Street). The agency will provide information about the new draft NPDES permit, and accept public input. The informational session is from 6:15 - 7:00 PM, and the public hearing will begin at 7:15 PM. Even if you are not planning to offer verbal comments, your attendance is still very important to show the EPA that you care about the issue, and learn more about it.
EPA is also seeking written comments until July 25. Address comments to Mr. George Papadopoulos and email to papadopoulos.george@epa.gov. This is so very important to influence the EPA's final permit. Feel free to use the text in the yellow box above, or visit our website for more detailed talking points →
The EPA will use public comments and input to develop the FINAL permit, so it is critical to be engaged in this issue while this narrow window of opportunity is open! EPA needs to know that people are concerned. Please show your support for the local environment – get involved and take action. Thank you!
Any questions, please email us: info@jonesriver.org
ACTION ALERT: Protect Cape Cod Bay from More Pollution!
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