Vt’s senator: Feds won’t intervene in Entergy suit

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MONTPELIER, Vt. — U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders said Thursday he had been told the U.S. Justice Department wont intervene in the federal lawsuit being brought against the state of Vermont by t he owners of the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant, but the Justice Department responded by saying it hasnt made a decision.

The announcement by the independent senator from Vermont came one week after New Orleans-based Entergy Corp. went to federal court to seek an order blocking Vermonts efforts to close its lone nuclear plant when its initial, 40-year license expires next March.

Vermont Yankee got a 20-year license extension this past March from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Entergy maintains Vermont is pre-empted by federal law from trying to close the plant, as it is by denying it a state certificate of public good.

Sanders announcement came two weeks after the senator used an appearance by all five NRC commissioners before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, on which Sanders serves, to grill the commissioners about a secret vote Sanders said the commission had taken the day before to urge the Justice Department to intervene in the Vermont Yankee lawsuit.

The commissioners refused to answer Sanders questions, saying they are allowed under the law to keep deliberations concerning legal matters under wraps.

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“The department has not decided whether to intervene in this case,” said department spokeswoman Tracy Schmaler. “We will continue to monitor the situation. The department has assured Senator Sanders that his views and the views of Vermont officials are being actively considered.”

Entergy spokesman Larry Smith said the company would have no comment.

Sanders called the word he had received of the Justice Departments decision not to intervene good news.

Cont'd at the link: http://bangordailynews.com/2011/06/30/news/vt%E2%80%99s-senator-feds-won%E2%80%99t-intervene-in-entergy-suit/?ref=latest