From our friends at Sustainable Plymouth

This past April, Holtec applied to the state Department of Environmental Protection for a modified Surface Water Discharge Permit as part of their plan to illegally dump over a million gallons of Pilgrim’s radiological and chemical industrial wastewater into Cape Cod Bay. Dumping is the cheapest and speediest method to get rid of the contaminated water.

On July 24, the MassDEP announced their tentative determination to deny the state permit which begins the process to enforce MA state laws that prohibit Holtec’s illegal plan. We applaud the MassDEP for their stand to uphold state laws that protect our Ocean Sanctuaries. With resounding public opinion and our elected officials against the dumping plan, including Governor Healey, we need to strongly express our opposition.

As part of the process, MassDEP must open a public comment period. This is our opportunity to speak up and affirm support to finalize denial of the permit.

Written comments will be accepted until 5:00 PM on August 28, 2023.

MassDEP encourages written comments to be submitted by 

email to massdep.npdes@mass.gov; 
subject line: Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station.

If not possible, please send by mail to:

Cathy Coniaris, MassDEP, 100 Cambridge St., Boston, MA 02114.

Sample:

Cathy Coniaris
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
100 Cambridge Street
Boston, MA 02114
massdep.npdes@mass.gov

Subject: Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station

Dear Ms. Coniaris:

I am writing to support the tentative determination by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) to deny Holtec’s application for a modified Surface Water Discharge Permit that would allow Holtec to discharge radioactive and chemically contaminated industrial wastewater into Cape Cod Bay.

MassDEP’s tentative determination that the requested discharge is prohibited by the Massachusetts Ocean Sanctuaries Act is entirely correct. That act prohibits the “dumping or discharge or commercial, municipal, domestic or industrial waste” into an Ocean Sanctuary. Cape Cod, Plymouth, Kingston, and Duxbury Bays are all protected ocean sanctuaries under the act.

The MassDEP final determination must be to deny Holtec’s application. Thank you for enforcing the law to protect our ocean sanctuaries.

Sincerely,

[name, address]