NRC denies full hearing on Palisades nuclear restart challenge

Federal regulators have rejected a bid for a formal hearing on safety and licensing concerns raised by environmental groups and residents opposed to restarting the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant in Michigan.

Tess Ware reports for Holland Sentinel.

In short:

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Atomic Safety and Licensing Board ruled that while petitioners had standing to intervene, their safety and regulatory challenges were not legally admissible.
Petitioners argued that restarting the plant should require a new safety report and objected to Holtec's reliance on regulatory exemptions and outdated documents.
Holtec still needs final NRC approval but plans to restart the facility in late 2025 and apply to build two small modular reactors on-site by 2026.

Key quote:

“We also plan to litigate against Holtec’s proposed Band-Aid fixes for Palisades’ dangerously degraded steam generator tubes, a self-inflicted wound due to two years of neglected maintenance.”

— Wally Taylor, co-counsel for the petitioning organizations

Why this matters:

The decision to revive the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant, which was shuttered in 2022, signals a pivotal moment in the country’s conflicted relationship with nuclear energy. Once viewed as outdated and risky, aging nuclear facilities like Palisades are now being reconsidered in light of intensifying climate mandates and the urgency to slash greenhouse gas emissions. Yet the enthusiasm is not universally shared. Local residents and environmental advocates are sounding alarms about the safety implications of bringing old infrastructure back online — especially when proposals hinge on waivers from long-established federal safety protocols. Their concern isn’t just theoretical; deferred maintenance, radiation risks, and gaps in emergency preparedness loom large in a region already wary of nuclear legacy issues.

www.hollandsentinel.com

NRC denies full hearing on Palisades nuclear restart challenge

Shuttered nuclear plant in Iowa gets $1.9B federal loan to restart

New York’s subways weren’t built for this

As hostilities flare and oil prices spike, U.S. consumers pay at the pump

'Slumping' South Korean corals worry divers, scientists studying climate change

Too hot to learn: how climate change hurts children’s chances from birth

One effect of climate change: More rats, ticks and mosquitoes — and more disease

‘More toxic than car exhaust’: What’s the solution to Europe’s wildfire air pollution problem?

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Pennsylvania health advocates say Trump’s first 100 days in office have caused “100 harms” to local communities

“They're terrorizing these scientists because they want to keep them silent.”

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.