Citizens demand action before San Onofre restart

As citizens of Southern California, we are deeply concerned about Southern California Edison's projected restart of San Onofre Reactor Number 2 on or about November 18, 2012 and reactor number 3 on December 31, 2012. SCE's plan to start the reactors at a lower power to "see" if there are still problems is completely unacceptable. It is inconceivable that the government agencies in charge of assuring the safe operation of this nuclear power plant would allow SCE to experiment like this with the safety and health of our residents and communities.

We demand before any restart goes forward, that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the State of California provide the opportunity for a full adjudicatory, evidentiary hearing, including full participation by independent experts and groups, for the purpose of deciding whether or not to issue a license amendment--without which the reactor cannot operate. Had not Edison and the NRC evaded the requirement for an evidentiary hearing and license amendment when the new replacement steam generators were installed we would not be in the current situation. Had such regulatory diligence been undertaken, the current problems would have been caught and prevented. A restart now, of the reactors with their failing steam generators, without such a hearing and license amendment puts our communities in Southern California at far greater risk.

Gene Stone
Residents Organized For a Safe Environment (ROSE)

July 31, 2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
From:
GENE STONE, Residents Organized for a Safe Environment (ROSE) 949-233-7724
GARY HEADRICK, SAN CLEMENTE GREEN 949-412-3366
CAROL JAHNKOW, PEACE RESCOURSE CENTER OF S.D. 760-390-0775
ROSS TEASLEY, Earth/Ocean Society 949-235-7195

Will we have a truly Historic NRC meeting?

Mr. Collins,


Thank you so much for your call this morning regarding the next NRC meeting on San Onofre. I believe we both seek to have a truly excellent quality public meeting to discuss the serious problems confronting the health and well being of our Southern California communities that SONGS presents.


I appreciate you accepting our input so willingly. With the goal of having a truly historic and beneficial public meeting I submit this idea for your consideration. To let all parties have a set at the table. Meaning a table for the NRC, SCE, “US” (citizens group leaders & 2 experts), & Elected Officials, so that we can all make a short opening statement and “take” and “answers” questions from the audience. The best way do to this is a category 3 meeting, which you told me on June 18 is your call.


My hope is you will take this idea under serious consideration for the most successful NRC meeting ever. It is my hope that we can work together for a safe future

for all Californians.

Warm regards,

Gene Stone
ROSE, http://residentsorganizedforasafeenvironment.wordpress.com/

NRC San Onofre Ruling "A Dangerous Cover Up"

Regulators Cover for Edison: "No One at Fault"


July 20, 2012 (SAN CLEMENTE) – Yesterday's announcement by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) stating that Southern California Edison (SCE) had complied with all regulations is yet another dangerous case of regulators looking the other way coupled with gutted unsafe regulations, according to local activist groups, including Residents Organized for a Safe Environment (ROSE), Citizens' Oversight, and the Peace Resource Center of San Diego.
"Either the regulations were insufficient and followed or sufficient but not followed, you can't have both," said Ray Lutz, National Coordinator of Citizens' Oversight. "Our regulatory process must safeguard against radiation leaks, emergency shutdowns, and $670 million steam generators failing within months of installation. To say that nothing is wrong takes the cake."
The ruling is absolutely astonishing, but unfortunately not surprising to those watching the process since any admission by NRC that the regulations were not followed would mean that they were asleep at the wheel, allowing SCE to flout the regulations to avoid a costly (but much safer) license amendment process including public and NRC review.
"It's a very sad commentary when regulatory agencies will allow transgressions to occur and will not speak out about them, to avoid scrutiny themselves," said Carol Jahnkow of the Peace Resource Center of San Diego.
Activist believe that any restart prior to CPUC determination of the cost effectiveness for the ratepayer is premature. Ratepayers should not be financially responsible for this debacle.
"California Edison's plan to restart reactor number two is extremely risky. Any restart could result is a cascading blowout, one tube influencing the next, and may even progress to a meltdown," said Gene Stone of ROSE, repeating a scenario described by nuclear industry expert Arnie Gundersen.
NRC officials said this morning that there would be no restart without public meetings and that SCE has not filed a response to the NRC action as of yet. "The NRC plans to hold several more public meetings in the vicinity of the plant before making any decision about restart of either of the San Onofre reactors" said Victor Dricks, Public Affairs Officer of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission / Region IV Arlington, TX.
The NRC covered for Edison at the June 18 public meeting as well, saying that the cause of the failure was excessive steam velocity without digging back to the ultimate root cause. Edison's many design changes are the obvious culprit, with NRC officials watching from start to finish, never speaking up to force SCE to use the normal license amendment process.
Activists say they are planning protest activities in response to this stunning coverup by the NRC and SCE.

PRESS RELEASE 7/20/12

Residents Organizing for a Safe Environment (ROSE)
Gene Stone / genstonATsbcglobalDOTnet / 949-233-7724

Peace Resource Center of San Diego
Carol Jahnkow / caroljATigcDOTorg / 760-390-0775

Citizens' Oversight
Ray Lutz / RayLutzATCitizensOversightDOTorg / 619-820-5321
http://ShutDownSanOnofre.org

San Clemente Ocean Festival

Just give me the warm power of the sunGive me the steady flow of a waterfallGive me the spirit of living things as they return to clay.Just give me the restless power of the windGive me the comforting glow of a wood fireBut please take all of your atomic poison power away. 
Everybody needs some power I'm toldTo shield them from the darkness and the coldSome may see a way to take control when it's bought and sold. 
I know that lives are at stakeYours and mine and our descendants in time.There's so much to gain, so much to loseEveryone of us has to choose. 
Just give me the warm power of the sunGive me the steady flow of a waterfallGive me the spirit of living things as they return to clay.Just give me the restless power of the windGive me the comforting glow of a wood fireBut please take all of your atomic poison power away. 
We are only now beginning to seeHow delicate the balance of nature can beThe limits of her ways have been definedand we've crossed that line. 
Some don't even care or know that we'll payBut we have seen the face of death in our day.There's so little time to change our waysIf only we together can say 
Just give me the warm power of the sunGive me the steady flow of a waterfallGive me the spirit of living things as they return to clay.Just give me the restless power of the windGive me the comforting glow of a wood fireBut please take all of your atomic poison power away. 
Won't you do this for me?Take all of your atomic poison powerTake all of your atomic poison powerTake all of your atomic poison powerAway.

San Clemente City Council Nuke Free

TONIGHT San Clemente City Council is poised to make history yet again regarding the San Onofre nuclear power plant. They will consider calling for special hearings and investigations about SAFETY, COST and RELIABILITY in formal letters to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the California Public Utilities Commission. Please come out in support if you can make it. We are late in the agenda so you could probably get there by 8:00 and not miss it, (but come sooner just in case).

More people = More Influence on the Outcome

City Hall is at 100 Avenida Presidio, San Clemente 92672

Listen to this relevant radio interview on KPBS done yesterday.

Occupy Your City Council

Radiation 101 Class 1 @iRadGeiger

Radiation 101 slide show. 

How Cozy Are The Nuclear Industry & The NRC?

Let Fukushima be a warning to those that would let the fox guard the henhouse.