The SDIPN general meeting took place at 6:30 PM at the Council Senior Center at 241 West 72nd Street on May 26. Tom Siracuse chaired the meeting.
AGENDA
1. “Indian Summer.” John Baldwin proposed that SDIPN get together with other anti nuclear groups and declare an “Indian Summer” in which people, especially students and retirees, go to Indian Point and camp out for an undetermined amount of time until the Indian Point plant is closed down, paralleling a “Freedom Summer” of the civil rights movement in 1964.
2. NRC Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant hearing on June 2.
a. Transportation. Info was given out on how to get on the free Riverkeeper buses from Grand Central at 3:45, getting there by Metro-North from Grand Central to Peekskill and making arrangements with Marilyn Elie to get from the train station to the hearing or join in a march to the hearing from the Peekskill station, or driving to the hearing. Getting the train at Marble Hill at 225th Street is cheaper than leaving from Grand Central. Marble Hill can be reached by the #1 subway.
b. Email announcements should be forwarded to list serves we have access to and other groups’ calendar lists.
c. Flier. Peter Rugh’s flier was distributed and attendees were urged to make up more fliers and distribute them. It was suggested that Peter make up a new flier in which the transportation directions are more clearly delineated.
d. Tabling at the hearing. We will have fliers, fact sheets and possibly the proposed petition (see below). Julie Woodward will set up a table outside the hearing.
e. Inside the hearing. To get a seat inside the hearing, we should get there by 5:30 PM. We’re planning on having signs inside and outside the hearing. People who want to testify, should sign up before 5:30. It was suggested that someone call for a minute of silence before the hearing begins inside to remember those Japanese who lost their lives or were lethally contaminated because of the earthquake, tsunami and Fukushima disaster, including those brave workers who tried to contain the Fukushima meltdown. Peter Rugh volunteered.
f. Signs. We will have a sign making event at Union Square (SW corner) at 1 PM. In case of rain, we can meet at Tom Siracuse’s place, 244 West 74th Street, Apt. 5-C. Tom Siracuse will bring a table. Beverly Rice will take the banner to the NRC site on June 2nd.
g. T-Shirts. Contact Margo Schebart to get T-shirts at 914-325-4620 margofrances@yahoo.com. They will cost about $8.
h. Press Conference. We will participate in a press conference with other groups such as IPSEC outside the hearing at 6 PM. IPSEC said it will have music before the press conference.
3. Volunteers were asked to fill the posts of treasurer, secretary and chairs of the Membership and Education/Fact Committees, but no one responded. Because of the low attendance at this meeting, we felt that we need more time to attract more members and volunteers.
4. Clearwater Festival at Croton State Park, June 18-19. Edie Kantrowitz has $100 from SDIPN to get our own table but she felt that the chances were slim to get a table. We can share a table with IPSEC. We would need volunteers to help staff the table. Edie will try to get discounted entrance two day tickets for $15 a day plus the train fare of $20. Metro-North has a package of fare and entrance fee for $65.
5. Proposed SDIPN petition. The petition was discussed and the following additions were given to me for the wording. Ken Gale said he would get me more information of the wording in the WHERAS clause reading “WHEREAS solar, wind, geothermal and wave energy can create many more jobs than nuclear energy.” Please review the following additional WHEREAS’s:
“WHEREAS the Indian Point Nuclear Plant sucks up 2.5 billion gallons of Hudson River water daily, circulates it through the system and dumps the heated water back into the river killing billions of fish eggs, larvae and fish and other aquatic life and fish have been found contaminated
by radioactive strontium-90, causing an unacceptable impact on the Hudson River ecology; and”
“WHEREAS countries such as Japan, Lithuania, Germany and Switzerland have either shut down their nuclear reactors or suspended licensing for new nuclear plants and;”
It was decided by unanimous vote to have this petition ready for the June 2nd hearing.
The meeting we adjourned at 8:40 PM
Tom Siracuse
212 874-2154
sdipn.wordpress.com 