Members of the Atomic Safety Licensing Board of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) heard arguments challenging the request of Florida Power and Light Co. (FPL) to build additional reactors at Turkey Point on Thursday.
A major focus of the hearing was the alleged failure of the draft environmental impact statement to address potential harm to wetlands the offering of limited proposals to mitigate potential damage. This draft statement was released by the NRC.
Among those challenging the license are local citizens, the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy and the National Parks Conservation Association.
“If the expansion of Turkey Point does occur, it would have profound and unacceptable environmental impacts to regional water resources, Biscayne and Everglades National Parks, wildlife, wetlands and threaten public health and safety,” Sara Barczak, a program director with the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, said. “We hope the licensing board accepts our contention and that federal regulators and elected officials at all levels of government recognize that there are far more affordable, less destructive ways for FPL to meet energy demand while protecting the environment and addressing global climate change.”
The public comment period has ended for the draft environmental impact statement and the NRC is expected to publish the final statement in February.
The company states that nuclear plants have some of the lowest impacts to the environment and representatives state that the facility offers habitat space for local fauna and flora.
Approximately 10 percent of the Turkey Point property is used for power generation. The company states that the rest is managed as a habitat for threatened species in the area.
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