The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) will hold two public meetings in San Luis Obispo on May 28, four days before PG&E plans to begin removing spent fuel from densely-packed pools and loading the first dry cask at Diablo Canyon. This is an opportunity for the public to ask questions and state opinions.
The San Luis Obispo Mothers for Peace is not trying to stop the use of dry casks at Diablo, but is challenging in federal court the inadequate protections of the casks against potential terrorist attacks. The NRC allows two nuclear reactors and the storage of radioactive wastes next to two earthquake faults at the Diablo site, even while acknowledging that nuclear facilities are targets of terrorists. The agency is responsible for protecting public safety, and so we appreciate that it is coming to San Luis Obispo to hear from those who live here.
Both meetings will be held at the Embassy Suites Hotel. NRC staff will hold an “informal open house” from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. From 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. the staff will hold a “Town Hall” meeting “specifically tailored to maximize public participation.”
This article appears in May 21-28, 2009.
