Safe & Green Campaign

In 2006, the Vermont legislature passed Act 160, setting into motion a process in which the democratically elected state legislature will have the ultimate say in the continued operation of Vermont Yankee beyond 2012. What follows is the progress of this legislative process and the implications it has on the closure of Vermont Yankee, as scheduled in March 2012.

The Senate
On February 24, 2010, a historic, snowy day, the Vermont state senate voted 26-4 to close Vermont Yankee on schedule. The vote of no confidence sent a resounding message that it is not in the best interest of Vermont to operate Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee beyond 2012. It was a clear affirmation that democracy thrives here in Vermont.

Debate began at approximately 10:30am and the final vote did not occur until 3:00pm. 75 citizens and lobbyist along with dozens of press personnel packed the small, stately senate chamber in anticipation of the historic vote. Over 100 other citizens watched a live stream of the vote just down the hall. The atmosphere was tense throughout most of the four hour debate. Much of the debate revolved around whether or not Entergy can be trusted, the reliability of the facility moving forward, a favorable Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) for ratepayers and an adequately funded decommissioning fund. After numerous procedural maneuvers led by Senator Phil Scott (R-Washington) to send the bill back to committee, the bill finally came to a full vote at 3:00pm with 26 senators voting ‘no.’ Because of Senate chamber rules, the audience was not allowed to cheer or clap as the final vote count was announced, however, the restrained elation of those in the chamber permeated the bizarre silence. Boisterous cheers could be heard in the halls from those watching the live stream. As soon as the session was adjourned, audience members began to clap and thank senators as they exited the chamber.

News outlets from across the state and around the world quickly picked up the monumental, historic story that had just unfolded. Because of the inclimate weather, many folks who had spent years working towards this very moment were not able to be present, but experienced the day’s events through all of us. To read more about the vote and to view pictures, click on the links below.

Safe & Green Photo Gallery

VPIRG Photo Gallery

Greenpeace Photo Gallery

New York Times- “Vermont Senate Votes to Close Nuclear Plant”

VPR- “Senate Votes Against Vermont Yankee” (audio)

Rutland Herald- “Senate: Clear ‘no’ on Yankee”

To watch the senate debate in its entirety, click here.

The Decommissioning Vote
The VT House passed Decommissioning Bill (H.589) , by a unanimous vote of 139-0. However, the bill was watered down at the 11th hour, allowing Entergy to pay for the costs associated with spent fuel storage and achieving Greenfield status over 20 years. This essentially leaves a backdoor open for relicensing. The Senate did not review the bill before the end of the legislative session. Decommissioning legislation will most likely be reviewed during the 2011 session.

If you cannot make it up and live in Vermont, call your state representative and ask them to vote in favor of the clean-up bill. To contact your Vermont state representative, click here.