A federal judge ruled that approximately 45,000 gallons of radioactive water from a defunct nuclear plant in New York can be dumped into the Hudson River. U.S. District Judge Kenneth Karas sided with New Jersey-based Holtec International, which sued New York State last year over restrictions on discharging waste from the Indian Point facility. The company argued that only the federal government has authority to regulate the disposal of nuclear waste from the plant.

The decision overturns New York’s “Save The Hudson” law, which aimed to block the release of radioactive materials into the waterway. Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins criticized the ruling, stating it allows Holtec International to proceed with plans that could contaminate the river. Judge Karas noted in his opinion that the 2023 law “categorically precludes Holtec from utilizing a federally accepted method of disposal.”

Holtec defended the ruling, asserting that the radioactive discharge will comply with federal regulations. The company emphasized its commitment to decommissioning the Indian Point site responsibly, collaborating with local and state authorities. Indian Point, located on the Hudson River about 35 miles north of Manhattan, was closed in 2021 amid environmental concerns. Despite efforts to restrict waste disposal, Holtec has maintained that similar discharges occurred during the plant’s five-decade operation.

The decommissioning process requires reducing residual radioactivity to safe levels, with the site to be fully dismantled within 60 years of closure. Holtec’s attorneys argued that radiation exposure from the discharge would remain within regulated limits, citing historical data showing millions of gallons of tritium-laden water were previously released into the river.