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Governor Charles Baker
State House
Boston, MA

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PO Box 303
South Harwich, MA 02661
9 September 2016

Dear Governor Baker,

We come to your office with a most urgent call for public safety. THIS IS A STATE EMERGENCY. We
are deeply worried and gravely concerned that the real and present danger to our entire region from
the troubled Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station in Plymouth is being ignored. The latest emergency scram
this week at Pilgrim from another valve malfunction in less than 3 weeks is yet another clarion alarm
and a clear warning. Pilgrim Nuclear is an ongoing Commonwealth crisis.
The degrading nuclear reactor has been one step from federally mandated shutdown for over a year
even as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission stepped up oversight. There has been a lack of
maintenance, repetitive and degraded safety equipment failures, spent fuel pool degradation,
switchyard failures, falsified records, forged signatures, and failed inspections. All these failures add
up to a catastrophe in the making. We are clearly citizens at risk. Our many letters and phone calls
to protect the public have been meet with detachment and silence. What is it going to take for you to
step up and speak out for public safety and demand the NRC immediately revoke the operating
licensee from Entergy?
Given the failing inspections and poor assessments, the aging and degraded Pilgrim reactor
continues to operate in the shadow of almost 5 million citizens expecting you to be working in their
best interest. Why would you expect Entergy to follow through with NRC safety recommendations
when they have proven time and time again not to do so? The public has no confidence in Entergy
nor the NRC.
Over a year ago, you wrote to the NRC of concern that Pilgrim was placed into the Repetitive
Degraded Cornerstone Column, becoming identified as one of the two worst operating reactors in the
country. And yet, Pilgrim continues in that same danger zone today, daily threatening the public
health and safety. Problems are mounting. In that same letter, you clearly delineate that Pilgrim
should meet the highest safety standards and that every aspect of its operations are in compliance
with all of the rules and regulations of the NRC. We cannot risk the well being of the residents of the
Commonwealth. The NRCs own multiple inspections identify ongoing failures according their own
regulations. In fact, since the increased NRC oversight in 2014, the performance of Entergy has been
on a dangerous downward trend.
As the Chief Safety Officer, your duty to the citizens of Massachusetts is for our protection and our
safety. New York Governor Cuomo recognizes the dangers Entergys Indian Point poses for his
communities and has taken a stand and called for the closing of that nuclear reactor.
Cape Downwinders

www.capedownwinders.info

In 2013, all 15 towns on Cape Cod and 5 towns on Marthas Vineyard voted for the Governor to call
for the closure of Pilgrim as the emergency plans from the state do not provide for public protection,
only relocation for us after the fact of radiological exposure and contamination. There is no escape
from the Cape. In fact, it is not only the Cape but Metro Boston and greater New England will be
impacted as well.
The NRC has allowed the nuclear industry to delay staff recommended fixes from lessons learned
from the disaster in Japan. Fukushima style reactors like Pilgrim are allowed to operate without
making safety upgrades. The danger to the public is increasing and there is no other sane option
excepting shutdown. The NRCs own staff acknowledges that public safety cannot be assured.
Senator Markey has declared, The NRC has abdicated its responsibility to ensure public health and
safety in New England and across the country.
Entergy has been the rolling the dice for almost three more years and that is not a gamble we accept.
Cape Downwinders and many other organizations have repeatedly requested you to call for the NRC
to immediately close Pilgrim because of this imminent threat. You have remained silent. How can you
ignore the outcry for action by our government for safety of its citizens?
Governor Baker, you cannot ignore the NRC confirmation of the poor safety culture at Pilgrim and the
documented litany of failures at our peril. Otherwise, along with the NRC, you will be abdicating your
lawful responsibilities as an elected stakeholder for public safety.
THIS IS A STATE EMERGENCY. Accordingly, Article 1 of our State Constitution cites the Citizens of
the Commonwealth have the right to seek and obtain safety.
We petition you to demand the NRC immediately close Pilgrim and begin decommissioning.
The urgency of this matter requires your immediate attention and action.
For Cape Downwinders:
Diane Turco Harwich tturco@comcast.net
Margaret Stevens, Bourne cybermaga@gmail.com
William Maurer, Falmouth wmmaurer@comcast.net
Maxine Wolfset, Mashpee maxwolfset@comcast.net
Don Barton, Mashpee dbarton357@gmail.com
Arlene Williamson, Mashpee, a.williamson99@comcast.net
Karen Quinn, Centerville kequinn101@yahoo.com
Susan Carpenter, South Dennis scarpenter1103@gmail.com
Sarah Thacher, Dennis benthacher@hotmail.com
Elaine Dickinson, Harwich edickinson1149@gmail.com
Arthur Dickinson, Harwich edickinson1149@gmail.com
Mary Conathan, Chatham marathan@verizon.net
Bonnie Brydges, Harwich bonbry@verizon.net
Doug Long, Orleans outermost@gmail.com

Attached:
*Cape Cod Times 2016 list of problems at Pilgrim
*Letter to Governor Baker Dates:3.11.15/4.15/9.3.15/10.19.15/1.10.16/3.11.16/4.27.16/8.21.16
*Senator Markey: NRCs Delay of Fukushima Safety Measure is Irresponsible
Cape Downwinders

www.capedownwinders.info