Residents Demand
Transparency on Nuclear Waste

While the plant has been closed for over a decade, the spent nuclear fuel remains on-site, a mere 100 feet from the Pacific Ocean, in an active earthquake and tsunami zone. For local environmental groups and residents, this is not a problem to be forgotten, but a crisis demanding transparency and action.

The Samuel Lawrence Foundation (SLF), based in Solana Beach, has been at the forefront of this fight. They, along with other Southern California environmental groups, are not just raising alarms, they are actively pressuring regulatory agencies to prioritize the safe and timely removal of the waste. Their advocacy is multifaceted, blending public engagement with scientific inquiry and political pressure. Recent efforts have included a Radioactive Waste Symposium at UCSD and a community 3.6 mile run, both designed to draw public attention to the issue and educate people on the risks.

A major point of contention is the integrity of the waste canisters. The foundation has highlighted reports detailing potential damage to these thin-walled steel canisters during the loading process, a serious concern given their proximity to a major population center. These reports underscore a fundamental lack of confidence in the current storage solution and fuel the call for greater oversight from bodies like the California Coastal Commission and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

The message from the community is clear: the coast is not clear until the waste is gone. This is a battle that unites a diverse coalition of activists, scientists, and elected officials, including U.S. Congressman Mike Levin, who are pushing for federal action and a dedicated agency to manage the nation's nuclear waste. For SLF, the solution isn't just about moving the waste; it's about a commitment to a safer, more transparent future for Southern California and beyond.