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Vermont Yankee Debate Heats Up On Two Fronts

The legal debate over the future of the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant is heating up at federal appeals court and at the state Public Service Board. The state this week laid out a detailed case for why the plant should not get a new 20 year state permit to operate.

NRC Oversees Post-Fukushima Inspections At Vermont Yankee

At the urging of federal regulators, technicians at Vermont Yankee are inspecting the plant to assess risk from severe floods and earthquakes. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has required nuclear plant operators to do a series of inspections following the earthquake and tsunami that crippled reactors in Japan.

Sanders Laments NRC Chief’s Departure

Sen. Bernie Sanders says he’s "extremely disappointed" that the chairman of the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission, who frequently clashed with other members as he pushed for reforms in the nuclear industry, has announced his resignation.

NRC Won’t Intervene In Yankee Lawsuit

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission says it won’t intervene in the lawsuit against the state over the continued operation of the Vermont Yankee plant. Yankee owner Entergy wants a court to rule that only the federal government has the right to control Yankee’s future operation. But the NRC says Vermont has a regulatory role as well.

Sanders Challenges NRC Head On Tritium

Two dozen nuclear power plants around the country have leaked radioactive tritium into groundwater. And now, a destroyed oil well is leaking oil into the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Senator Bernie Sanders says it’s enough to demand new thinking on national energy policy.