US court ruling allows release of radioactive water into Hudson River

A U.S. federal court has overturned a New York state law that sought to prevent the discharge of approximately 45,000 gallons of radioactive water from the decommissioned Indian Point Energy Center into the Hudson River. The ruling favored Holtec International, which acquired the Indian Point site in 2021 after its permanent shutdown, allowing the company to proceed with releasing nuclear wastewater as part of the plant’s decommissioning process. The 2023 state law, signed by Governor Kathy Hochul, aimed to protect the Hudson River region by restricting radiological discharges during decommissioning, but the court ruled that federal law and regulatory authority by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) preempt state restrictions. Holtec International stated that the discharge falls under federal jurisdiction and assured that the decommissioning would be conducted in an environmentally responsible manner, adhering to safety regulations. The company and its attorneys emphasized that radiation exposure from the discharge is expected to remain within regulated safety limits, noting that millions