On September 30, as
Governor Hochul convenes nuclear industry stakeholders in Syracuse, Indigenous leaders and allies will hold a
People’s Meeting to defend New York’s Climate Act and reject nuclear expansion. This convergence comes at a critical moment.
A federal court has
just struck down New York’s law barring radioactive discharges from the Indian Point decommissioning, weakening state authority to protect public health and the Hudson River. At the same time,
Holtec International has advanced redevelopment concepts that include new nuclear generation at the site, while the Governor has directed the New York Power Authority to
pursue at least one new nuclear facility, possibly through a “fleet-style” deployment model.
As a Westchester-based organization, the Energy Justice Law & Policy Center underscores the risks of siting or restarting nuclear reactors so close to the New York City metropolitan area, one of the nation’s most densely populated regions.
“New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (Climate Act) was designed to guide us toward a carbon-free future that is also fair and equitable. Nuclear power does not move us in that direction,” said
Raya Salter, Executive Director of the Energy Justice Law & Policy Center.
History tells us what happens next. From Shoreham on Long Island to Vogtle in Georgia and the canceled NuScale project in Utah, nuclear development has been marked by delays, cost overruns, and waste that remains hazardous for generations. These outcomes divert attention and resources away from renewable energy sources that are ready now.
The burdens are not shared equally. Nuclear waste and radioactive discharges place disproportionate risks on Indigenous nations, river communities, and environmental justice populations who live with the legacy of pollution. These communities are also leading the resistance. The September 30
People’s Meeting in Syracuse is a vital space where voices from across the state will come together to insist on a renewable, just future.
EJLPC urges state leaders to stay the course set by the Climate Act: invest in renewables, modernize the grid, and center community-led solutions. Nuclear expansion does not fit this vision. It introduces economic risk, prolongs environmental hazards, and distracts from proven clean energy pathways.
New Yorkers deserve a future powered by solutions that are safe, affordable, and aligned with justice. That future is renewable, not nuclear.
