- The Palisades Nuclear plant has been the topic of controversy for years, since the Holtec International befan seeking a restart in 2023.
- The Palisades will be the first ever Nuclear plant to restart in U.S history
- The Radiation and Public Health Project,(RPHP) claims CDC numbers of rising cancer can be linked to the Palisades plant.
- Holtec International denies those claims, saying RPHP is run by a group that "Spread's fear and misinformation.”
- The Flynn family claims their hyperthyroid diagnosis' is linke dto the Palisades plany
The planned restart of the Palisades Nuclear Plant along Lake Michigan has sparked debate as Holtec International moves closer to bringing the facility online.
Beyond Nuclear, an advocacy group opposing the reopening, has filed a petition accusing Holtec of "reusing" old steam generator tubes.
The Flynn family, long-time summer residents in the area, claims links between their thyroid diagnoses and the plant’s operations.
"We bought a cottage in our family in 1967," said Tom Flynn, recounting their lengthy history in Van Buren County.
Olivia Flynn mentioned her diagnosis of hypothyroidism at age 11, attributing health issues to their proximity to the plant.
She conducted a survey revealing 49 thyroid disease cases and 10 cancer cases in their community of 200 cottages.
Joseph Mangano, executive director of the Radiation and Public Health Project, supports the link to said health concerns, noting an increase in cancer rates in the county since the plant began operating in 1971.
In the group's study, it cites numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, comparing numbers over the past five decades. The rate of all cancers in Van Buren County has been on the rise. From 1968 to 1978, the rate was 7.7 percent below the average compared to the rest of the United States, before rising all the way up to 11 percent above the U.S average.
The issue in question is Strontium-90, a radioactive isotope that is a byproduct of Nuclear Fission, and can cause several forms of cancer. The project says the isotope leaked from the Palisades plant, causing the increased cancer rates.
Holtec International bluntly refutes those claims, maintaining that safety is their top priority, saying in a statement to FOX 17, "As nuclear professionals, public health and safety is our top priority. Palisades operated in the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s highest safety category, and if reauthorized to resume operations, will continue to do so under those stringent industry safety standards and independent government oversight. Rather than engaging with fringe claims that undermine public trust, we encourage those seeking accurate information to rely on trusted sources – such as public health experts and state and federal regulators, not groups that spread fear and misinformation.”
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which regulates commercial plants and other uses of nuclear materials does monitor Strontium-90, in a study of active nuclear power plants, finding "Radiation doses from Sr-90 to individuals living within 30 miles of a nuclear power plant would be a tiny fraction of less than one millirem."
Despite regulatory assurances, Jody Flynn voices doubts, saying, "This is the wrong plant to be the first one in the country to reopen." Holtec plans a public open house on June 25 to discuss safety protocols leading up to the restart.
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