BUCHANAN – The State Department of Environmental Conservation will certainly get an earful when proponents and opponents of Indian Point nuclear power plants address the agency at two public hearings in Cortlandt Manor this afternoon and evening.

The DEC has refused to certify Entergy’s once-through cooling of Hudson River water and that certification is necessary to receive Nuclear Regulatory Commission approve of 20 year extensions for the two power plant reactors.

Several environmental groups have called for construction of large cooling towers, but Entergy says they will cost far more than the system they are advocating using “wedge-wire”, take years to build, as well as disrupt the viewshed.

Rockland Economic Development Corporation President Ronald Hicks urged the DEC to take another look.

“Clearly we understand the economy, we understand our heritage and we understand our quality of life, and all three will be severely impacted if the decision leads to the construction of these enormous towers,” he said. “What we are urging DEC to do is just further explore other alternatives before taking a position that could change the face of the Hudson Valley and have significant long reaching financial repercussions.”

While a number of environmental organizations are support the cooling towers, pro-Indian Point organization NY AREA Executive Director John Durso, Jr. it would cost $8.5 billion to build the cooling towers, which he said would equate to $435 for every man, woman and child statewide.