WHAT: San Diego Water Protectors – San Diego County Board of Supervisors Call Swarm
WHY: To put the issue of San Onofre Nuclear Waste on the San Diego Board of Supervisors’ meeting Agenda
WHO: Dianne Jacob and Ron Roberts; Co-Chairs of San Diego Board of Supervisors Sub-Committee on San Onofre
WHERE: Any Telephone
WHEN: Monday, March 13th, 2017 – 8 AM to 5 PM
HOW: Call Dianne Jacob at (619) 531-5522 and/or Ron Roberts at (619) 531-5544
SHOW THEM THE LOVE!
In 2015 Supervisor Jacob and Roberts appointed themselves Co-Chairs of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors Subcommittee on San Onofre. Amid after repeated requests from the public. Now, almost two years later they have yet to hold a single meeting and are refusing to put San Onofre on the San Diego Board of Supervisors Meeting Agenda. The ‘Public has a Right to Know’ that millions of pounds of radioactive nuclear waste will be buried on the beach at San Onofre early 2018 and that Edison has been granted all Emergency Planning exemptions.
Background:
If nothing is done, high-level radioactive waste that is dangerous to humans for millions of years will be stored 108 feet away from the beach at San Onofre State Park. Use these talking points when you are communicating with friends or elected officials. You can also help get the word out by liking us on Facebook, posting to Twitter or other social media, getting on our email list, and funding the fight (see our Take Action Guide for more information)
- The waste is dangerous to humans for more than 10,000 generations. According the the highly respected pro-industry journal Scientific American, the nuclear waste at San Onofre State Beach will be toxic for 250,000 years. That’s equal to 12,500 generations of humans.
- “Temporary Storage” means 300 years Southern California Edison, the owner of the nuclear waste at San Onofre says that storing the nuclear waste on the beach is a “temporary” measure. What they don’t tell you is that the federal definition of “temporary storage is 300 years!
- The “dry casks” are only guaranteed to last 10 to 25 years. Southern California Edison has been telling our politicians that the casks are safe for more than 100 years. But thanks to legal work by SanOnofreSafety.org, Edison was forced to release sensitive documents showing that the so-called U-Max “system” of dry casks storage is only guaranteed to last ten years, and that the steel canister are only guaranteed for 25-years.
- Once the waste is buried it will remain on the beach forever The cheapest storage option for Southern California Edison is to keep the waste on the beach. Edison claims it has nowhere to put the waste, yet it has refused to fully explore all of its options.
- The beach is the WORST possible location for safety Storing nuclear waste at San Onofre State Beach is like storing open containers of gasoline in the smoking rook at the Chicago O’hare airport. The current location is on a major earthquake fault line, and like Fukushima, in the middle of a tsunami zone. What’s more the current location is conveniently located in an area that is ripe for a terrorist attack.
- 8.5 million people live within the 50-mile plume zone 8.5 million people reside within the 50-mile plume zone surrounding San Onofre. In the event of a major nuclear disaster, everyone with this zone could be endangered … depending on the direction of the wind. The waste at Fukushima has tainted the entire Atlantic Ocean with radiation detectable from North Africa to the shores of Northern Europe, and from Northern Canada to the Florida on the USA’s East Coast. On the USA West Coast, cancer causing radiation was detectable within days after Fukushima.
- Once the waste is buried it will become public property When companies pollute they must be held responsible for cleaning it up. Edison has abandoned this fundamental responsibility. After Edison buries its nuclear waste on the beach, it will claim that it no longer has any legal responsibility to move it. Legally, the waste becomes “bona vacantia” an ownerless property for whom no one is responsible. This is what TEPCO, the owners of Fukushima claimed. That means local California governments will have to deal with finding a solution for Edison’s waste problems. Our only hope is to move the waste now before burial begins.
- The waste is Southern California Edison’s responsibility Until the waste is buried, Edison is responsible for keeping it safe. This is why it is in such a hurry to bury in flimsy concrete holders with steel containers in the sand at San Onofre State Beach. By refusing to allow construction of the beachfront waste dump, we can force Edison to find a better location.
- Threatens one of the USA’s most critical transportation corridors San Onofre is located next to the second busiest rail corridor in the USA. The passenger rails carry 7.5 million people annually. In addition, Interstate 5 is a freeway that carries an average of 20,000 vehicles an hour. Closure of this corridor due to radiation will block a critical supply and evacuation route for Southern California.
- FEMA will not respond to an emergency FEMA the Federal Emergency Management Agency, has been removed as an emergency responders in the event of a nuclear disaster. All emergency response will be handled by local governments.