The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has made 10 nuclear facilities including Indian Point in Buchanan eligible to apply for authority to permit their security forces to possess and use firearms and related devices despite local, state or federal laws and regulations restricting their use.

A 2005 law gave the NRC authority to permit security forces at NRC-licensed facilities to possess and use firearms, ammunition and large-capacity ammunition feeding devices in the performance of their official duties regardless of local, state or federal restrictions on their use.

Other facilities eligible to apply for the weaponization are James A. FitzPatrick, Nine Mile Point and R.E. Ginna nuclear plants in New York; the San Onofre and Diablo Canyons plants in California; the Calvert Cliffs nuclear plant in Maryland; and the Babcock & Wilcox nuclear fuel fabrication facility in Virginia. The spent fuel storage installations at Diablo Canyon and Calvert Cliffs, which are licensed separately, are also included.

Indian Point spokesman Jerry Nappi said Wednesday that he could not speak at this time whether the facility would or would not apply for the enhanced weaponry.

(Source: MidHudsonNews)