THE BIG STORY WITH JOHN GIBSON Fox News Network (17:31) August 5, 2002
Terrorists and Nuclear Power Plants
JOHN GIBSON: More than seven states are gearing up preparing for a worst-case scenario nuclear disaster. But New York is taking its emergency planning one step further than the most, than the rest. Heather Nauert's here with the latest. What is it?
HEATHER NAUERT, FOX CORRESPONDENT: Well, a lot of states have stepped up security at nuclear power plants, but New York, home to one biggie that's really close to Manhattan, isn't taking any chances. Its governor appointing one expert to investigate safety concerns at all the plants in the area. And it maybe the start of a new nationwide trend.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) (voice-over): A sound that everyone living near a nuclear power plant dreads, a siren telling you to evacuate. There are about 100 nuclear power plants in the U.S. A handful are in highly populated areas. One is Indian Point, about 35 miles north of Manhattan.
More than 20 million people live within 50 miles of it. Locals have always worried about radiation, but after diagrams of American nuke plants were discovered in al Qaeda safe houses, they became concerned about sabotage.
GOV. GEORGE PATAKI (R), NEW YORK: And we are concerned, as we've expressed time and again since September 11 with the security, the operations, the disaster plans involving the nuclear power plants in this state and in the surrounding states and in particular Indian Point.
NAUERT: Now, New York Governor George Pataki wants a full-scale review of emergency plans at all the New York area plants. He's named James Lee Witt, the former head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, to oversee it. Witt hasn't started yet, but he has some changes in mind.
JAMES LEE WITT, JAMES LEE WITT ASSOCIATES: How good is the communications system? Is there any inoperability problem? Have they been able to communicate from a county sheriff to a city police or from the state to the local emergency managers? And then also I think it's going to be very important to look at the evacuation routes.
NAUERT: Some changes started months ago. County officials began distributing potassium iodide pills. If taken after a radiation leak, they can help prevent thyroid cancer. Many agree this is a step in the right direction, but others are concerned it's just politics as usual.
JOHN PIKE, GLOBAL SECURITY.ORG: So much of the response that we've seen to September 11 nearly a year later continues to be a lot of stuff that's for show.
NAUERT: Still, he insists this sort of review is long overdue and should take place in other states with nuclear power plants. Now, James Lee Witt says his final report will be out in December, but that report will only be a list of recommendations. Then it's up to the state and the local government to make sure that those recommendations are enforced.
So it's another commission, essentially, just to look at potential problems.
GIBSON: Study fast. Study very fast. Heather Nauert, thanks very much.
Copyright 2002 Fox News Network
