WASHINGTON – The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has granted pre-emption authority to the Indian Point nuclear power plants allowing their security force to possess and use certain firearms and related devices despite local, state or federal laws and regulations restricting their use.
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 gave the NRC the authority to permit security forces at NRC-licensed facilities to possess and use certain firearms, said NRC spokesman Scott Burnell.
They include “weapons that might otherwise be restricted by state or local ordinances ammunition and large-capacity ammunition feeding devices in the performance of their official duties regardless of local, state or federal restrictions on their use,” Burnell said. Other weapons, the likes of fully automatic one may be restricted by state or federal law.”
The James A. FitzPatrick, Nine Mile Point and R.E. Ginna nuclear plants in New York have been given similar authority.
