The closure of Diablo Canyon will have a devastating effect on our community and local economy. According to the 2013 PG&E economic impact report, our area stands to lose hundreds of millions of dollars in local tax revenue over a 20 year period and billions of dollars in indirect economic benefits, and the closure will force the relocation of hundreds of our neighbors and their families, who have lived and worked in our community for decades. The environment will also suffer because the majority of Diablo Canyon’s production will be replaced by natural gas (as happened with the closure of San Onofre), which will require and encourage even more fracking. Why is this happening? All of this is going to happen because some deluded and ill-informed people are “afraid” of nuclear power, despite the fact that over the years nuclear power has proven to be the safest form of power production and the least damaging to the environment.
Yet, despite the potential of extreme consequences for our community and the environment, the pending closure is a non-issue among the candidates in the upcoming local elections. The importance of this issue is self-evident, and as a member of the public I call upon all candidates go on record as to being either for or against the closure, or whether or not they choose to even give a damn, so that in the future they can be held responsible for the consequences.
Mark Henry
San Luis Obispo
This article appears in Sep 6-16, 2018.