Gov. Peter Shumlin and lawmakers Tuesday announced the appointment of six members to a committee to oversee the decommissioning of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant.
Entergy Corp. announced last year it would close the nuclear power plant in Vernon for economic reasons by the end of 2014.
The 19-member Nuclear Decommissioning Citizens Advisory Panel is designed to share information about the decommissioning of the plant with local communities and residents. The committee will hold four public meetings per year, advise the the state on decommissioning issues and receive reports on the progress and funding related to the plant’s decommissioning.
Shumlin appointed Kate O’Connor of Brattleboro to a four-year term and Martin Langeveld of Vernon to a three-year term. Senate Pro Tempore John Campbell appointed James Matteau of Westminster, to a four-year term and James Tonkovich of Wilder to a three-year term. House Speaker Shap Smith appointed David L. Deen of Putney to a four-year term and Derrik Jordan of Putney to a three-year term.
The first meeting of the committee will be held from 6-9 p.m. Sept. 25 at Brattleboro Union High School.
Deb Katz, executive director of Citizens Awareness Network, a nonprofit that pushed to close Vermont Yankee and other nuclear power plants in the region, released this statement:
“The creation of a Citizens Advisory Panel for the decommissioning of Vermont Yankee by the state of Vermont is an important step. It provides greater transparency and a more democratic process for the citizens of the tri-state community. It sets an important precedent.”
