HomeMy WebLinkAbout14 - Support for HR 3643 and HR 4745 Relating to the Interim Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel from San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) - Support LetterConcerned Coastal Communities Coaliti
August 10, 2016
Honorable Michael K. Conaway
United States House of Representatives
2430 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Congressman Conaway,
The Concerned Coastal Communities Coalition writes to express its strong support for H.R. 3643,
the Interim Consolidated Storage Act of 2015.
As California coastal cities in close proximity to the now closed San Onofre Nuclear Power
Generating Station (SONGS) located in northern San Diego County, we have a longstanding
interest in the proper operation of nuclear power plants. Today, given the closure of the SONGS
facility, we have an even greater interest in the decommissioning of such plants and the removal
of high-level radioactive waste.
Nuclear power was first generated by the SONGS facility nearly fifty years ago, when the Unit 1
reactor began operating in 1968. Two additional units came on line in 1983 and 1984, generating
up to 2,200 megawatts of electricity. The first reactor unit ceased operating in 1992, while the
second and third reactors were shut down in 2013 due to premature wear found on over 3,000
tubes in replacement steam generators. SONGS is currently in the initial stages of
decommissioning.
More than 7 million Californians live within 50 miles of SONGS. Communities in our coalition
represent the front line and are the most likely to be impacted if radioactive material were to
leak. City leaders and residents alike continue to monitor and participate in the decommissioning
process. We remain hopeful that the decades of work necessary to protect our environment and
ensure public safety proceeds expeditiously. However, we remain deeply concerned that the
accumulated high-level radioactive waste will remain on the site—either in liquid pools or dry
casks—for an indefinite period of time due to the lack of a national or regional repositories. Given
the seismic and related tsunami threats that exists in the region, long-term storage of this
radioactive material at the SONGS site is simply unacceptable.
The communities participating in our coalition are hardly alone in their concern for the potential
threat posed by spent nuclear fuel languishing at nuclear facilities in their backyard. Currently,
the nation's inventory of spent nuclear fuel is being stored at the sites where it was generated,
including at the 61 still -operating nuclear power plants and 14 shut -down reactor sites. Just as
with SONGS, we strongly believe that the hazardous material at these facilities should be
removed as quickly and safely as possible.
1401 Dove Street, Suite 330, Newport Beach, California 92660
H.R. 3643 offers a much needed path forward for the removal of spent fuel and high-level waste
from nuclear power plants. By authorizing the Department of Energy to enter into new contracts
with operators of interim consolidated storage facilities, the legislation provides an option for
removing this hazardous material from urban communities like ours, rather than waiting for
resolution to the endless debates overthe penultimate site to deposit our nations' nuclear waste.
We are particularly pleased that the bill enjoys such strong bipartisan support, including from
California Representatives Darrell Issa, Doris Matsui, Jared Huffman, Ami Bera, Duncan Hunter,
Scott Peters, Ken Calvert and Dana Rohrabacher.
Thank you for your diligent work to advance this important legislation. We are eagerto assist you
in this endeavor and would be happy to offer testimony or any other manner of support to help
ensure its passage in the 114th Congress.
Sincerely,
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Mayor Pam Patterson
City of San Juan Capistrano
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Mayor Sandra Massa-Lavitt
City of Seal Beach
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City of Oceanside
Mayor Kristin Gaspar
City of Encinitas
Mayor Steve Dicterow
City of Laguna Beach
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Mayor Diane Dixon
City of Newport Beach
Mayor Bob Baker
City of San Clemente