An environmental group is appealing a state permit that would allow the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant to discharge warmer water into the Connecticut River.
The Connecticut River Watershed Council says it wants to work out a compromise with the plant’s owner that would ensure cooler water flows into the river.
Executive director Chelsea Gwyther says her group is concerned that higher water temperatures might have a negative impact on the ecosystem of the Connecticut River:
(Gwyther) “Our point is that we just don’t know. We don’t know if what the current discharge is allowing is creating a negative impact on the fish and so we think that to increase that without fully studying it is not responsible.”
(Host) Yankee won a permit allowing it to put water in the river that’s as much as one degree warmer than its existing permit allows.
Connecticut River Steward David Deen says there has been a major decline in the American shad population passing by the Vernon dam.
He says Yankee owner “Entergy Nuclear” needs to prove to regulators that its activities aren’t to blame.