The organization Concerned Neighbors of Pilgrim, along with Cape Cod Bay Watch, is collecting signatures to give to the Plymouth Board of Selectmen regarding Entergy's Nuclear Waste Storage. The petition reads:

"Entergy's long term storage of high level radioactive waste in our community poses a risk to our families, homes, businesses, environment and economy. Help us urge Plymouth officials to use their authority to protect public safety and the Town's fiscal well-being before the opportunity is lost or becomes irreversible."

Sign online today as a citizen or a business:

Sign Today >>

Local residents win important ruling in lawsuit against Entergy over lack of permit for nuclear dump.

On October 15, a state court judge ordered Entergy Corporation of Louisiana, owner of Plymouth's Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station, "to give the court 90-day notice before any nuclear materials are stored at the disputed site." In late 2014, Entergy is planning to start moving some of the 40 years worth of nuclear waste out of the Pilgrim reactor building into the outside storage facility. The judge says he wants Entergy to give him notice before they start moving the waste. Right now, Entergy is building the nuclear waste dump without permits that local residents say the company should have. Entergy is building "at its own risk." The judge wants a chance to rule on whether Entergy has the right permits before the waste is moved into the dry cask facility.

The October 15 ruling is an important step in the efforts by local residents to get Entergy to comply with local zoning laws. The lawsuit was filed in August 2013 when the Town of Plymouth Zoning Board of Appeals failed to require Entergy to get a special permit for construction and operation of the outside dry cask storage facility it is building at Pilgrim. The lawsuit seeks to require Entergy to apply for and obtain a special permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals. This permit would require the town to hold a public hearing and allow local residents to have input on how the nuclear waste dump is built and operated. The town could impose conditions that would improve the facility.

The legal process is lengthy and no trial date is set. The next steps are for all the parties to file a status report on several issues by November 15, conduct discovery, and then have a meeting with the judge in mid May, 2014. Entergy attorneys told the court they plan to challenge the rights of local residents to bring the lawsuit. A team of mostly volunteer lawyers are representing the 18 local residents who are plaintiffs in the case.

Upcoming Events

11/15 Community Forum hosted by Concerned Neighbors of Pilgrim

Friday, November 15, 2013 \ 1 - 2:30 pm

Plymouth Council on Aging, 44 Nook Rd., Plymouth, MA (next to Plymouth North High School)

The organization Concerned Neighbors of Pilgrim is hosting a community forum on Entergy's long-term nuclear waste storage project. There will be presentations by local experts on recent developments and a discussion on what you can do to keep our community safe. The event is free and open to the public.

11/19 Entergy Presentation to Plymouth Selectmen

Tuesday, November 19, 2013 \ 7 pm

Entergy is scheduled to make a presentation to the Plymouth Selectmen about the nuclear waste storage project. All are urged to attend.

11/23 Bake Sale at Thanksgiving Day Parade to support CCBW

Saturday, November 23, 2013 \ 10:30 am

58 C Main Street, Plymouth, MA

Cape Cod Bay Watch will be having a bake sale during the Thanksgiving Day Parade. Stop by their office at 58C Main Street to help support the cause and meet some great folks!

12/3 Meeting with Federal and State Legislators

Tuesday, December 3, 2013 \ 7 pm

Senator Markey, Senator Warren, Senate President Murray and Congressman Keating, amongst other state legislators, have been invited to meet with the Plymouth, MA Board of Selectmen on December 3rd to discuss the ongoing project to increase nuclear waste storage in Plymouth regarding Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station. To date, the Plymouth Town Manager has not received replies from any of these elected officials. If the meeting does take place, we will be encouraging all of you to attend as well. The meeting would be in Plymouth at 7pm on 12/3. More details to come.

In the meantime, please encourage these representatives to attend and engage in what could be the Commonwealth's greatest threat: the build up of nuclear waste. For further information about the meeting, here is a recent newspaper article on it:

ENGRAVED INVITATION: Board of Selectmen wants full delagation on hand for dry cask discussion (Wicked Local) >>

Online Calendar

The Pilgrim Coalition's member groups are always hosting events, gatherings, and forums for the public. We invite you to join us-come out and have some fun and find out what's going on:

http://www.pilgrimcoalition.org/calendar

Watch PC on "Talk of the Town"

Marshfield television featured two Pilgrim Coalition Steering Committee members on Bob Parkis' "Talk of the Town" show recently. Watch the video here:

Talk of the Town: Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station - October 17, 2013 from MCTV on Vimeo.

Host Bob Parkis sits down to discuss nuclear power with three guests: Anna Baker, A Founder of the Pilgrim Coalition, Mary Lampert, Director of Pilgrim Watch, and Jim Lampert, MIT Engineer and Attorney.

Musing By Norm Pierce, Plymouth resident

If I get up and shut off that light
that illuminates nothing in particular
will I contribute to decreasing electricity demand?
Will many contributions to decreased demand
in our supply/demand market
lower the amount the market will pay for this energy?
Is this the straw with all the other straws
that causes the corporate deciders
to close this plant
that endangers our lives
pollutes our bay?
Do small acts add up, too?

Dealing with Pilgrim's Nuclear Waste:

A Call for Plymouth to Use Local Powers

On October 15, 2013, representatives of local groups suggested to the Plymouth Board of Selectmen that local by-law powers could be used to address several of the concerns raised by Entergy's long term nuclear waste storage project. Plymouth native Meg Sheehan suggested that the town could pass 5 local by-laws to address some of the concerns. For more information, read the article on Wicked Local >>

Local residents say they will be working to get warrants ready for the Spring town meeting.

Continuing Education of Coalition Members:

Sea Level Rise

Entergy is currently constructing a site for nuclear waste storage that could last centuries. The projected rise in sea level relative to the location of that site is a legitimate concern.

Sea level rise is occurring because of the melting of glaciers, ice caps, and ice sheets on land, but also because as heat is absorbed by water, the water expands.
Sea level rise isn't the same everywhere.
In some areas not only is the sea rising, but the land is sinking.
With global warming causing ocean currents to shift, along the East Coast of the United States, there will be a faster-than-average sea level rise.

Current plans for Plymouth's nuclear waste site are based in part on meteorological and sea level data gathered in the 1950's.

Entergy's ongoing construction of the dry cask storage facility also needs to be closely monitored in relation to sea level fluctuations. Storing high-level nuclear waste in a coastal zone, below a safe elevation (at approximately 24' above mean sea level) is a serious concern. Additionally, thermal pollution caused by Pilgrim's cooling system intensifies the effects of warming sea temperatures in the Bay, resulting in negative impacts on marine life and ecosystems.
Other South Shore coastal-towns gathered together to commission scientific studies to inform them about how sea level rise can have an impact on their communities. Plymouth has not sought this kind of information for planning.

To read more about sea level rise as it pertains to Pilgrim, visit:
Climate Change & Nuclear Power (Cape Cod Bay Watch) >>

12/12 Pilgrim Coalition Meeting

Pilgrim Coalition meetings are open to all and we encourage you to attend and engage in our discussions. We will be meeting next on:

Thursday, December 12 \ 7 pm

Jones River Landing, 55 Landing Road, Kingston, MA

About the Pilgrim Coalition...

We are a non-partisan network of citizens and organizations dedicated to raising awareness of - and reducing - significant risks to public safety, health and our environment arising from the continued operation of Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station, located in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

Make a Donation >> Help us grow by making a secure, tax-deductible donation online today. Checks can also be made out to the Pilgrim Coalition and sent to us at c/o Jones River Watershed Association, 55 Landing Road, Kingston, MA 02332.

You can also help us by sharing this email with your friends and family.

Join Our Mailing List >> Sign up to receive periodic updates from the Pilgrim Coalition, including news, events, volunteer opportunities, and more.