44°
Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino is going forward with his threat to sue the state over the closure of Indian Point.
At a press conference at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Astorino is expected to announce the lawsuit. Astorino had threatened to file the suit last month, though county legislators decided not to go forward with the suit at Monday's board meeting.
In January, it was announced Entergy, which runs Buchanan-based Indian Point had made a deal with the state to close the plant in 2020 and 2021 saying it was no longer economically viable to run the plant.
Astorino has said the state did not conduct a full environmental review prior to reaching an agreement to closing the plant. Astorino, who ran against Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2014, has remained a fierce critic of the governor and is considering running against him again next year.
"Whether you are for nuclear power or against it, there is no debate that the public had a right to know about the impact of closing Indian Point before the deal was reached by three men in a room," Astorino said last month. "If our laws are to have any meaning at all, then the process has to be fair, open, and reviewable.”
Legislator Catherine Borgia (D-Ossining) criticized the lawsuit, calling it unwinnable and frivolous.
“The County Executive’s political ambitions are clearly more important to him than the taxpayers of Westchester," Borgia said. Any unilateral attempt to use outside counsel on behalf of the taxpayers is in violation of our County’s charter. The surrounding communities are better served by bringing all sides together to work on real economic and environmental mitigation solutions, and that is what Democrats are focused on.”
Click here to follow Daily Voice Ossining and receive free news updates.
