State of Vermont wins first round in legal battle to close down Vermont Yankee

As reported by Vermont Public Radio, in an 18 page ruling U.S. District Judge J. Garvan Murtha denied Entergy Nuclear's request for an injunction against the Vermont state law which would force the closure of Vermont Yankee atomic reactor at the end of its original 40 year license next March. Entergy Nuclear needs to refuel Vermont Yankee this fall if it is to operate the reactor beyond March 22, 2012, so sought an injunction against the state's mandated closure by July 23rd, in order to decide whether or not to order the replacement fuel. The judge clarified that his rejection of Entergy's request for an injunction does not indicate how he will rule on the overall case, in which Entergy seeks to nullify the Vermont state law via federal pre-emption over nuclear safety matters. Judge Murtha has announced he will hear that case beginning on September 12th. On legal grounds, Vermont has argued its decision to shut down Vermont Yankee has to do with economics and reliability, not health and safety, which are federally pre-empted. "From Fukushima to VT Yankee: The Vermont Nuclear Power Conference" will be held in Burlington on  Saturday, July 23rd, to build further momentum to shut Vermont Yankee.