New York Consolidated Laws, Environmental Conservation Law - ENV § 30-101. 1] Legislative findings

1. The legislature finds that while the energy and economic output generated by nuclear power plants are beneficial to the state and its residents, discharges into waters of the state of radiological agents from nuclear power plants have various adverse and substantial economic impacts on the state and its residents.

2. The legislature further finds that communities with interests in the Hudson River are concerned with the economic impacts on local real estate values and economic development with respect to the discharge of waste from nuclear power plants into waters of the state during plant decommissioning, which effect is no longer balanced by countervailing economic benefits of the plant to those communities that the plant provided during operation.

3. The legislature further finds that other methods of managing waste from decommissioning nuclear power plants are available and would not result in the same economic impacts.

4. The legislature therefore finds and declares that it is the duty of the state to act to preserve the economic vitality of affected communities.