WPCNR CAPITOL HILL SPIN. From Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton's Office. June 13, 2004:  Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY), who has been at the forefront of efforts to ensure that federal authorities adequately integrate the risk of terrorism in emergency planning at Indian Point, issued a statement today on her initial thoughts on this week’s emergency response exercise at the facility.  While welcoming the fact that Federal authorities had initiated an emergency response exercise based on a terrorist attack at the nuclear plant, she criticized what appeared to be unrealistic assumptions in the exercise. 

Here is the Senator's statement:

“I am pleased that the NRC and FEMA have finally heeded our many calls to address local concerns by incorporating terrorist scenarios into their planning at Indian Point,” said Senator Clinton.  “I am also grateful to the first responders and many others who worked diligently for months to prepare for the drill.  While final judgment must be reserved until after a review of the final report from the NRC and FEMA, I feel strongly that despite the strides that have been made, additional steps must be taken to make future drills more realistic.  For example, future exercises should model emergency response to a fast-breaking incident.”

In 2002, Senator Clinton pressed the owners of Indian Point and the NRC to adopt a security response exercise that included a new post 9-11 design basis threat.  This security exercise took place in 2003.  After release of the Witt report in 2003, she again pressed FEMA and NRC to develop an emergency response exercise that included a terrorist component.  Today the Senator reiterated her call to implement the recommendations made in the Witt report last year.

“This exercise demonstrates that we need to redouble our efforts to ensure adequate emergency preparedness at Indian Point, and other nuclear plants around the state and across the country.  A plant like Indian Point must be held to the highest standards for safety and security, and ensuring the safety and security of those who live around it is paramount.  This exercise is a step in the right direction, but important further steps are needed to improve emergency preparedness around Indian Point, which is critical to the millions of New Yorkers potentially impacted.”