Twelve AGs Filed Amicus Brief in Support of States’ Right to Participate in Proceedings on Nuclear Plant Decommissioning

New York Attorney General Letitia James led a coalition of 12 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief in support of Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey’s position in litigation over the planned decommissioning of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station. AG Healey challenged the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) September 2019 decision to approve the transfer of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station to Holtec International for decommissioning without allowing Massachusetts an opportunity to voice its concerns about the plan. In their brief, the AGs noted that the decommissioning of nuclear power plants entails significant risks, which “are exacerbated when investors with minimal experience in decommissioning try to oversee the decommissioning process at a number of different plants at a profit.” The AGs emphasized that NRC’s decision to approve the transfer of ownership without accepting input from Massachusetts violated the Atomic Energy Act and NRC rules that grant states “the right to participate in NRC proceedings to represent their unique sovereign interests.”