Photo by Drew Bewely, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
PLMOUTH –Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) scientists have released a research paper indicating wastewater potentially discharged from Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station if Holtec International’s permit challenge is successful could linger in Cape Cod Bay for over a month.
The company had been denied a modification request that would have allowed them to discharge the wastewater leftover from the decommissioning process, but they have sought to appeal the decision, saying the process would be safe and have no ecological impact. They also say that only the federal government has the authority to deny the request.
Study lead Irina Rypina, physical oceanographer, said the exact timing would depend on the season, but that the water is likely to remain in the Bay for longer than a month and come close to the shore, including coastal waters of Dennis, Wellfleet and Provincetown.
“Because activities taking place along the shores of Cape Cod Bay, such as tourism, commercial and recreational fishing, and aquaculture, are central to the region’s economy, the scientific paper focuses on investigating whether the plume water will spread toward the shoreline within the Bay or exit the Bay without approaching the inner-Bay shoreline. Based on the model, the first scenario is more likely,” said WHOI officials in a statement.
They added that a spring or summer release could lead to a small portion of a plume might leave the Bay in less than a month, passing north of Provincetown and then flowing southward along the outer Cape.
The full paper is available here.
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