Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a draft Clean Water Act “NPDES” permit for Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station in Plymouth. It’s about time!

Last month, the expiration of Pilgrim’s NPDES permit marked 20 years – making it one of the longest expired water pollution permits in the nation. We have been urging EPA and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection to update Pilgrim’s permit since 2012, in order to better protect Cape Cod Bay.

Pilgrim’s massive water consumption and pollution discharges are allowed under the terms of its expired NPDES permit. NPDES permits are supposed to be renewed every five years to ensure the most protective technologies are being used to safeguard water resources. This hasn’t been done in two decades! Learn more about Pilgrim’s expired permit →

We are currently reviewing the new draft NPDES permit. We hope that it will have tougher standards and better protections for Cape Cod Bay. EPA is accepting public comments on the draft permit until July 18, 2016. We plan to submit comments – stay tuned for more information about how you, too, can comment on the draft permit. We will provide talking points and directions soon.