World Business Academy Celebrates PG&E’s Decision to Close Diablo Canyon as an Important First Step
Santa Barbara, CA, June 22, 2016 – The World Business Academy (“Academy”) applauds the recent announcement by PG&E that it plans to close the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant in 2025, when its current Nuclear Regulatory Commission operating licenses expire. While a major step in the right direction to create a Nuclear-Free California, this PG&E decision, which has been endorsed by several environmental groups and by IBEW 1245, does not go far enough, nor close the plant fast enough.
The Joint Proposal by PG&E and the other signing parties affirms three of the four issues for which the Academy advocates as part of its Close Diablo Canyon Campaign.
First, PG&E finally acknowledged that the giant 2,220 megawatt nuclear plant can be closed without disrupting electric supplies or grid stability in the state of California.
Second, PG&E finally confirmed that 100% of Diablo Canyon’s power can be replaced by clean, non-greenhouse gas-emitting, economically competitive renewable energy.
Third, PG&E agreed to allocate funds to protect the Diablo Canyon workforce—a major step in achieving the Academy’s goal of a 100% legally enforceable agreement to protect union and non-union workers alike—a goal that is essential to the health of the local economy in San Luis Obispo.
“This is a great day to celebrate a 75% victory. Now we need to go the rest of the way,” said Rinaldo S. Brutoco, Academy President and Founder. “We need to find out definitively if the continuing operation of this plant poses seismic and or radiation health risks for the people of California.”
Fourth, it is the Academy’s position that an extension of PG&E’s submerged lands lease should not be granted by the State Lands Commission before the completion of a comprehensive environmental review of the Diablo Canyon plant, as legally required by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).The proposed PG&E Joint Agreement is contingent upon the State Lands Commission granting a lease extension without a CEQA review.
The Academy has identified an urgent need for a full CEQA review: the preliminary results of a radiation health study commissioned by the Academy in 2014 indicate a high probability that cancer and other illness are caused by radiation emissions from the so-called “normal” operation of the Diablo Canyon plant.
“It is the duty of the State Lands Commission and the public health authorities to determine if these preliminary findings are valid. This question should be examined in a full CEQA review, which is legally mandated under statutory and case law in the state of California for any permit extension granted by the State Lands Commission. This review is legally mandatory and cannot be avoided,” Brutoco added.
The proposed PG&E Joint Agreement is contingent upon this SLC lease extension being granted without a CEQA review, thereby allowing continuation of the harmful environmental and health impacts inherent in operating nuclear power plants.
“The nuclear power plant at Diablo Canyon is a zombie. Instead of letting it continue to operate for another nine years, PG&E and State regulators should work to shut it down as soon as possible,” said Matt Renner, Academy Executive Director. “We believe a CEQA review would demonstrate that this plant is harming the local community and is a major risk for the entire State. Anything less than an expedited wind-down with strong protections for the workers and the community is unacceptable.”
Brutoco and Renner will publically present the Academy’s position on the PG&E lease request at the upcoming State Lands Commission meeting on Tuesday, June 28 at 10 a.m. This meeting will take place in Sacramento and will be simulcast at the Community Center in Morro Bay.
For additional information, contact Dr. Jerry B. Brown, Director, Safe Energy Project, World Business Academy at (805) 892-4600 or [email protected]