Nuclear Surfer / Mermaid Event, 1:00PM Friday, Hall of Justice, San Diego

WHAT:      An event in support of nuclear waste safety at San Onofre

WHEN:      1:00 PM (participants should arrive at noon for set-up)

OVERVIEW:

A large crowd of Mermaids and Surfers in HazMat gear along with concerned citizens will gather at 330 West Broadway San Diego (on the steps of the Hall of Justice) to stand in support of nuclear sanity and a safe and peaceful resolution to the deadly nuclear waste threat posed by the failed nuclear generating station at San Onofre.

Our intention is to raise public awareness of the threat in a civil, spiritual, and respectful way,” says Charles Langley, the executive director of Public Watchdogs. “It is our belief that Edison has come to the bargaining table and is considering moving its planned beachfront nuclear waste dump because of high public awareness,” says Langley, who promises that this will be the first of many events designed to draw attention to the deadly problem.

According to Langley “Edison has agreed to participate in secret, non-public negotiations about the possibility of moving the deadly waste at San Onofre. This is what Edison wants. They prefer to operate in private and out of the public eye. Today, concerned citizens are gathering to make certain that the public is informed of the dangers at San Onofre. It is public awareness that brought Edison to the table, and is public awareness that will keep them there.”

BACKGROUND:

In 276 days (see Countdown clock at Public Watchdogs) Southern California Edison will bury nuclear waste that’s deadly for 250,000 years in delicate  thin-walled steel containers  that are guaranteed to last fewer than 25 years (source document).

The waste will be stored in canisters that are thinner than the diameter of a dime. Each drum will hold 37 deadly nuclear fuel assemblies with the radiation equivalent of what was released at Chernobyl (about 9.3 nuclear warheads on average). The planned location will place the canister three feet above the saltwater table and 36 yards from the public beach. To date, all legal and regulatory efforts to remove the waste have failed … But there is hope.

Southern California Edison has agreed to enter into confidential negotiations to remove the nuclear waste and to consider other alternative locations that are less dangerous. The court has ordered a hearing that was scheduled for April 14th continued until July 14, at the parties request so they can attempt settlement. It is the belief of Public Watchdogs that one of the reasons Southern California Edison has entered into negotiations is because the corporation fears a groundswell of negative public opinion, education and awareness.