Vermont Yankee Court Battle Set To Begin

09:00

September 12, 2011

The Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant on the banks of the Connecticut River in Vernon, Vt. is seen in April. (AP)

Almost six months to the day after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan, France experienced its own nuclear tragedy. One person was killed and four were injured after an explosion at a nuclear waste treatment site 20 miles from Avignon, France. Officials have stated that there are no radiation leaks at the site.

The blast in France was ill-timed for proponents of nuclear energy here in New England.

U.S. District Court Judge J. Garvan Murtha is set to begin hearing arguments in Entergy Corp. v. Shumlin, et al. Monday. In the energy company's suit against the state of Vermont, Entergy claims that the state cannot act to shut down the plant, because control should rest with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Vt. Gov. Peter Shumlin, who is named in the lawsuit, questions the safety of the 39-year-old plant located in southern Vermont.

Guest:

Matthew Wald, reporter, New York Times

More:

Vt. Officials, Entergy In Court Over Nuclear Plant’s Future

This segment aired on September 12, 2011.