Project Director Joe McDonough updated the Nuclear Decommissioning Citizens Advisory Panel on the status of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station, noting that approximately 808,000 gallons of contaminated water remain on the site. He stated, Next milestone will be LTP or license transition plan submitted March of 26, while explaining that internal building demolition is currently focused on asbestos removal and de-energizing infrastructure. During the technical briefing, Barry Potvin asked, could you give us some information about the temperature that the submersible heaters are set to maintain, prompting a discussion about the use of heaters in the spent fuel pool for worker comfort and freeze protection. Mike Forini sought clarification on storage volumes, asking, But Joe, so you still have though over 300,000 gallons in the spent fuel pool though, right? Concerns about container integrity were raised by Kelly O'Brien, who asked, exactly, how are those constructed with respect to the internals of that canister itself? and Mary Lampert, who demanded to know, If there is a crack in the spent fuel canister, how are you going to fix it?

The regulatory landscape remains tense as Gerard Martin from MassDEP reported on the ongoing appeal regarding the denial of a discharge permit. Martin noted, That recommendation is still under review from by the commissioner and no date for the final recommendation has been established. Pine DuBois questioned the transparency of soil remediation reports, asking, how will we know that you've got that report and that we should look at the DEP website? while Andrew Gottlieb inquired about the long-term staffing for presentations, asking, So, should we expect to get presentations from you in the future or is Dave coming back? Other panel members focused on procedural confirmations, with David Bryant stating approved during roll calls, and Brian McWilliams introducing himself as the designate for Pat O'Brien, pilgrim security manager. Virtual members like Greg Wade, representing the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities, Mary Waldron for the County Planning Council, and Chris Callahan representing Executive Office of Health and Human Services, provided their designations before participating in the session's votes.

Public comment brought sharp criticism of Holtech’s evaporation methods. Diane Turko asked, How will this panel move to hold accountable to the promise to the people the stakeholders because we don't consent to this regarding airborne pollution. In contrast, Charles Addy argued for the safety of historical practices, noting, there is tridium in the air all of the time with no ill effects on workers. Brian Campbell supported the discharge into the bay, claiming 80 gallons of discharged water would equal the radiation dose received from eating a banana, while Lane Dickinson countered that The EPA has a maximum containment level goal of zero exposure. Joanne Wilson Keenan expressed concern for vulnerable populations exposed to the radionucleides, and Paul George pressed for specifics on waste transport, asking, How is that done? By via what means? Jack Priest later offered to bring specialized expertise to the panel, noting we talked to our epidemiology toxicology group and we can provide a speaker for future health-related discussions.

The panel also addressed its annual reorganization and reporting requirements. Motion Made by Mary Gatslick to approve the September meeting minutes with the edits that we have just gone through. Motion Passed 13-0-2. Motion Made by Andrew Gottlieb to nominate Kevin Canty as chair for the upcoming year. Motion Passed 15-0. Chair Kevin Canty, who opened the meeting by stating The panel shall serve in an advisory capacity only and shall not have authority to direct decommissioning, will continue his leadership alongside Mary Gatslick, who was re-elected as Vice Chair. Motion Made by Andrew Gottlieb to nominate Mary Gatslick as vice chair. Motion Passed 14-0-1. Gatslick also pushed for public transparency in the upcoming annual report, stating, My proposal to the panel is that we add an appendicy to the annual report that captures all of those public comments. A motion by Mary Lampert to add an independent review of spent fuel storage failed to reach the required majority. Motion Made by Mary Lampert to add the topic of spent fuel with subtopics of security, corrosion, and options for off-site storage to be presented on by one or more independent experts to a future agenda. Motion Failed 9-2-4. Joe McDonough, voting as a panel designate, voiced his opposition by stating No, until it's a little better defined.