News Release

By Jennifer Kim, NJPIRG State Director

 TRENTON—“We are deeply concerned by Chairman Gregory Jaczko’s resignation from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.”

“While we may not have always seen eye to eye with the Chairman, he has been the lone advocate on the Commission for addressing some key nuclear safety concerns that put public health and safety at risk.”

“Following the disaster in Japan, Chairman Jaczko recommended that all post-Fukushima safety upgrades become mandatory at all U.S. nuclear power plants. Earlier this year, Chairman Jaczko was the sole voice opposing the permitting of new nuclear plants in South Carolina and Georgia, prudently citing the need to implement countless safety improvements learned from the Fukushima meltdown. Despite these calls for increased safety, he was voted down by the rest of the commission.”

“The post-Fukushima world demands more scrutiny of our nuclear plants and Chairman Jaczko challenged the nuclear industry’s lax efforts.  His departure leaves big shoes to fill and is particularly concerning since he was too-often the only member of the current Commission to support important safety improvements.”