http://decommission.sanonofre.com/2013/10/news-conference-decommission-san-onofre.html

News Conference on Decommissioning San Onofre



In June, environmental activists won a big victory when the troubled San Onofre nuclear plant ceased operations permanently. The current dispute over defective technology between Edison and Mitsubishi confirms how necessary this outcome was.

Environmental and citizen groups had only a short time to celebrate averting the risk posed by continued operation of the plant. Almost immediately it became clear that this site, wedged between Interstate 5 and the Pacific shoreline, poses a huge challenge of radioactive nuclear waste stored at the plant.

The issues are multiple. Much of the waste is a higher radioactive form of spent fuel known as “high burnup fuel,” stored in densities far higher than original design specifications and more unstable than “original” fuel. Learn why the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has not approved transport casks for this waste and why they will not approve more than 20 year of dry cask storage.

“San Onofre’s use of enriched uranium high burnup fuel puts us at greater risk for a nuclear disaster. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has not approved a transport method for this waste and says there is insufficient data to support storing it in dry casks for more than 20 years.” Donna Gilmore San Onofre Safety

Large uncertainties persist about where the waste will ultimately be stored and for how long. Billions of dollars of expense will be required to resolve these uncertainties. The issues involved in “decommissioning” San Onofre were secondary during the shutdown debate but now they loom large.


This Saturday, October 19, 1:30 – 5:30 pm in San Clemente, the Community Symposium on Decommissioning San Onofre will feature nationally regarded authorities addressing these concerns:

• Dr. Arjun Makhijani, expert on Hardened On Site Storage of nuclear waste and long-term management of high-level waste. Dr. Makhijana is President of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research.
  
  
• Dr. Marvin Resnikoff, advisor to government, industry and environmental groups on nuclear waste management issues. Dr. Resnikoff is Senior Associate at Radioactive Waste Management Associates.
  
  
• Dr. Donald Mosier, expert on the public health effects of radiation. Dr. Mosier is a member of the Department of Immunology, Scripps Research Institute, and City Council member, Del Mar, California.
  

Co-sponsors of the symposium include Sierra Club Angeles Chapter, Peace Resource Center of San Diego, San Clemente Green, Women's Occupy, Citizens Oversight Project, and San Onofre Safety, Residents Organized for a Safe Environment (ROSE), & SanOnofre.com

The immediate goal of the symposium is to assure that "best practices" are applied to make the decommissioning of San Onofre as safe as possible and minimize the long-term risk to area residents.

The ultimate goal of the symposium is to rejuvenate the national dialog about how the U.S. manages nuclear waste, including the safest on-site storage and options for remote storage.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

News Conference 1 p.m. October 19, 2013.
Symposium starts at 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
1201 Puerta del Sol, 1st floor San Clemente, CA 92673

"Community Symposium on Decommissioning San Onofre and the Ongoing Dangers of Nuclear Waste"

“We are safer since San Onofre shut down – but we are not safe.” Gene Stone, Residents Organized for a Safe Environment (ROSE)

PLEASE USE THE HASHTAG #CSDSO

Press Contacts:

Gene Stone, ROSE,
genston AT sbcglobal DOT net
(949) 233-7724

George Watland Conservation Coordinator
Sierra Club Angeles Chapter
George.watland AT sierraclub DOT org
(213) 387-4287 ext 210

Carol Jahnkow Peace Resource Center of S.D.
caroljahnkow AT gmail DOT com
(760) 390-0775

Click here for directions: https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode=&q=1201+Puerta+Del+Sol,+San+Clemente,+CA+92673&aq=0&oq=1201+Puerta+del+Sol,+San+Clemente,+CA+92673&sll=37.269174,-119.306607&sspn=15.523616,28.54248&t=h&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=1201+Puerta+Del+Sol,+San+Clemente,+California+92673&ll=33.45837,-117.591305&spn=0.034372,0.054932&z=14&iwloc=A