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Coakley Backs Effort To Prevent Vermont Nuclear Power Plant From Operating Past Next March

BOSTON (AP) - Massachusetts is backing Vermont in its efforts to prevent the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant from operating beyond next March.

Massachusetts intends to file a "friend of the court" brief supporting Vermont in a federal case brought by plant owner, Entergy Corp.

A spokeswoman says Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley filed a motion this week seeking to file the full brief by June 13 in U.S. District Court in Brattleboro.

In its suit, Entergy claims Vermont overstepped its authority by trying to deny the plant in Vernon, on the Massachusetts border, permission to operate beyond next March when its federal license expires. The federal government has extended the license for 20 years and Entergy claims federal law takes precedence.

The Conservation Law Foundation has also sued the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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