CCB MEDIA PHOTO
Opponents to the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant gather for a rally at the statehouse in Boston.
BOSTON- The Gardiner Auditorium at the State House was a sea of neon T-shirts with the slogan “Shut Down Pilgrim” during a rally yesterday in Boston.
The rally marks the end of a four-day march from Plymouth to Boston and local advocacy group Cape Downwinders played a large part organizing the event. The rally included several speakers, including former Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis.
Dukakis, who said he has been outspoken about the plant since the 1980s, said these types of power stations are antiquated and an unnecessary risk in light of the advances in alternative energy sources.
Also speaking was Ed DeWitt of Falmouth, Association to Preserve Cape Cod Executive Director, who said the plant continues to be an environmental and public safety liability.
DeWitt said, “The support was overwhelming. I don’t think this is a public education task. I think the public is there. This is a government task where the government needs to step up and do what we as taxpayers expect it to do.”
The march and rally highlighted what the participants called the dangers the 43-year-old nuclear plant poses to millions across the state, particularly residents on the South Shore and Cape Cod.
Pilgrim has been under increased oversight by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission since the winter when the plant lost power during winter storm Juno.
