A release of nuclear wastewater from Indian Point into the Hudson River was scheduled for later this fall. It would have been within U.S.. Environmental Protection Agency guidelines for what is considered safe, but some environmental activists wanted stricter guidelines set.

A new bill signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul will ensure it will not happen.

Manna Jo Greene has spent more than 25 years advocating to keep upstate’s environment clean and safe as a current Ulster County legislator and former environmental director of Hudson River Sloop Clearwater.

“We should be using the precautionary principle, and if radioactive material is contained, don't release it out into the environment," Greene said.

She now feels very relieved by the bill signed by Hochul, which restricts the discharge of nuclear wastewater in connection with the decommission of the Indian Point power plant.

Holtec is the company overseeing that process. Communications Director Pat O’Brien previously told Spectrum News 1 that any nuclear wastewater being dumped would be within EPA guidelines for what’s considered acceptable.

He doubled down on that Monday, saying, in part, “We firmly believe that this legislation is preempted by federal law, and that the discharge of monitored, processed and treated water would not impact the environment or the health and safety of the public.”

Greene said the state and Holtec must now pivot to next steps in the plant’s closing to ensure it will be done in a safe manner for current residents and future generations.

“Minimizing evaporation by a lined tank, ideally with a bladder," she said. "And we're bringing in experts to help advise the Decommissioning Oversight Board.”

O’Brien has said that building the tanks and letting the nuclear water evaporate would take longer to decommission Indian Point and redevelop the land. Now, Holtec will re-evaluate its decommissioning schedule.

Greene said public health and safety should come before redevelopment.