In a statement Saturday, the state attorney general announced he has appealed a recent court decision that supports relicensing of the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant.On Jan. 19, a federal district court judge ruled in favor of plant owner Entergy, which argued Vermont lacked the authority to force the plant’s decommissioning. The ruling agreed, tossing out two laws granting the state discretion over the plant’s continued operation and stating that the federal government alone has the authority to regulate nuclear safety. The plant could then continue to operate, as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission had granted it a 20-year extension to its license, which was originally set to expire next month.“We have strong arguments to make on appeal. The district court’s decision improperly limits the state’s legitimate role in deciding whether Vermont Yankee should operate in Vermont beyond March 21, 2012. The court’s undue reliance on the discussions among our citizen legislators, expert witnesses, advocates and their constituents has the potential to chill legislative debates in the future. Left unchallenged, this decision could make it harder for ordinary Vermonters to clearly state their views in future legislative hearings,” Attorney General William Sorrell said in the statement.He filed the case with the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in New York City.
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