Don't ignore renewed nuclear debate

By: ROCHELLE BECKER - Commentary: | Thursday, May 3, 2007 11:00 PM PDT ∞

California must not abandon our state's responsible moratorium on siting new nuclear plants until the considerable problem of highly radioactive waste is solved. This and other nuclear power issues will be discussed in San Clemente at a forum hosted by Patt Morrison of NPR affiliate KPCC. The forum is scheduled for 7 p.m. today at the San Clemente Community Center, 100 N. Calle Seville.

Hundreds of tons of high-level radioactive waste have been produced and licensed to be stored at California's coastal nuclear power plants. Three nuclear facilities lie adjacent to major active earthquake faults on eroding coastal bluffs -- two are still producing highly radioactive waste daily.

For decades, communities within the fallout zones of nuclear power plants have been promised that a permanent waste facility will "soon" be available to store the nation's 77,000 tons of high-level radioactive waste. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission continues to rely on the 1982 Waste Confidence Decision, which stated that the NRC is confident that spent fuel can be safely stored on-site until a repository is opened to receive it. When this decision was first released, the commission thought a repository would be running by 1998 -- foolishly trusting the Department of Energy to meet a deadline -- and stated that they expected the spent fuel to remain on-site no later than 30 years after cessation of reactor operation.

This lack of concern about the prospect of leaving increasing stockpiles of highly radioactive waste in an earthquake-active area -- no matter how long it takes -- is beginning to creep into our state government, as well. This year Assemblyman Chuck Devore, R-Irvine, introduced a bill to lift California's moratorium on new nuclear plants until a permanent solution to the safe storage of radioactive waste exists. Though the bill was defeated on April 17, there is a consortium in Fresno that is threatening a referendum to remove California's moratorium. Devore and a few nuclear supporters in the state appear quite comfortable with Congress, the Energy Department and NRC's promises that a solution is "just around the corner." This has been the mantra of the nuclear industry for more than four decades, and we have chosen to believe them, as the alternative -- highly radioactive waste being perpetually stored on California's seismically active coast -- is too frightening to seriously consider.

The Alliance for Nuclear Responsibility will participate in tonight's forum, along with Assemblyman Devore, the Committee to Bridge the Gap and possibly another guest. As most new nuclear plants are being proposed to be constructed at existing locations, residents of San Clemente, Oceanside and others who live within the shadow of the San Onofre reactors are invited to attend this special event. Seating is limited, so reservations are required; e-mail pattmorrison@kpcc. org.

Is a future of increasing stockpiles of highly radioactive and extremely costly new nuclear reactors something that California should be considering as a legacy for our state's children?

-- Pacific Beach resident Rochelle Becker is executive director of the Alliance for Nuclear Responsibility (www.a4nr.org).