The End of Nuclear in Vermont
Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant loomed over the small town of Vernon for decades, spewing pollution into the ground and into the Connecticut River. CLF spent more than 10 years on the front lines fighting to shut the aging plant down, until it finally closed its doors for good in late 2014.
CLF in Action
Vermont Yankee was an old and tired plant, with a history of radioactive waste leaks, broken promises, poor management, and false testimony by its owners. Vermonters were saddled with this poorly managed, uneconomic dinosaur for far too long. They endured environmental damage and the persistent threats to public health and safety that come with operating a nuclear power plant well beyond its planned life.
Throughout our decade-long fight, CLF added its strong voice to the calls for state leaders to shutter Vermont Yankee. We pushed state regulators, courts, legislatures, federal agencies, and blue ribbon commissions to look closely at the plant’s problems with water pollution and management in addition to the poor economics of the plant’s operation. Our advocacy built on our history of holding states and power plant owners responsible for acting in the best interest of the families and business owners who bear the costs for expensive, polluting power.
See a complete timeline of our actions to shut Vermont Yankee down for good.
What’s Next
The shuttering of Vermont Yankee marked a significant passage: for CLF, for Vermont, and for New England. Its closure opened space for cleaner, more reliable energy for Vermont and the region. With investments in transmission infrastructure, energy efficiency, and new renewable energy, we can replace today’s dirty energy sources.
New England’s well-being hinges on energy choices that protect our health, our climate, our economy, and our environment. Our families and communities have paid and continue to pay with our health, wallets, and children’s futures to keep outdated power plants running. CLF and our allies will continue to fight until we put New England firmly on the path to a clean energy future.
