Judge Clears Way For SoCal Edison Plan For San Onofre Nuclear Plant To Move Forward

San Diego CA

18 September, 2021

8:59 AM

Description

By Editor, Times of San Diego September 17, 2021 A judge has allowed Southern California Edison to proceed with a plan to tear down the oval-topped buildings on the former San Onofre nuclear power plant site. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell L. Beckloff this week finalized a tentative ruling he issued in June. At that time, he concluded that the California Coastal Commission acted properly in approving the dismantling project, despite a legal challenge by the Samuel Lawrence Foundation. "Petitioner (the foundation) did not meet its burden of demonstrating error," Beckloff wrote. "The court finds the Coastal Commission made the findings required by (law). In addition, the Coastal Commission's … findings are supported by substantial evidence." The foundation has not met its burden by demonstrating otherwise, Beckloff wrote. SCE issued a statement saying it was "pleased with the court's final ruling denying the Samuel Lawrence Foundation challenge to the coastal development permit issued by the California Coastal Commission for the dismantlement of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station." "The dismantlement of (the station) is moving forward with a focus on safety, environmental stewardship and transparency through public engagement," the statement said. The foundation filed its petition in December 2019, basing its challenge to the site dismantling in part on concerns about storage canisters. SCE and the commission "have not sufficiently planned for on-site repair and replacement of waste storage canisters so that they may be transported off-site or on-site to a location further inland from the ocean," attorneys alleged in the foundation's court papers. The commission, in approving SCE's plan, has "authorized the complete destruction of the spent fuel pools," they further argued. – City News Service Times of San Diego is an independent online news site covering the San Diego metropolitan area. Our journalists report on politics, crime, business, sports, education, arts, the military and everyday life in San Diego. No subscription is required, and you can sign up for a free daily newsletter with a summary of the latest news.