Regular Meeting on DOE RFO on Consent based Siting for Federal Consolidated Interim Storage Facilities

Key Takeaways from the Meeting

With the federal government’s recent restart of consent-based siting, the Community Engagement Panel (CEP) received an update from the Department of Energy (DOE) on the landscape for offsite storage of spent nuclear fuel. Representatives of the Action for Spent Fuel Solutions Now coalition offered a local perspective, John Kotek of the Nuclear Energy Institute provided a national viewpoint and spent fuel expert Tom Isaacs offered international insights.

The DOE is responsible for disposition of the nation’s spent nuclear fuel. DOE’s Dr. Kim Petry stated that federal interim storage allows for removal of spent fuel from reactor sites sooner than waiting for a deep geologic repository. DOE recently launched a process to hear from local communities, tribal nations, and organizations who want to learn about consent-based siting.

Advocacy remains an important opportunity for communities neighboring San Onofre, and the coalition is well-positioned to serve as an organizing mechanism.

The DOE’s consent-based siting effort is an important listening process and comments are due by March 4. Later this year, it should help bring forward communities that want to learn more about what it means to be a host community for a spent fuel facility. That’s progress.

The renewed focus on the “back end of the fuel cycle” is owed in part to addressing climate change, and the need for clean power including but not limited to nuclear generation.

Congressional action remains important, and one thing our local coalition can do is organize a list of key federal actions that would benefit us near SONGS and other plants. DOE has the authorization and funding for its initial work, but beyond a couple years will need more support.

Other countries are ahead of the U.S. They are figuring out what consent means to their local communities. While there is no recipe book, we can learn from their efforts.

The CEP ought to provide input to the DOE. The CEP leadership—David, Dan, and Martha—will draft and circulate comments to the full CEP membership for input.

SONGS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PANEL VIRTUAL MEETING INSTRUCTIONS

The Feb. 10 Community Engagement Panel (CEP) meeting will be conducted via Microsoft Teams as Southern California Edison and CEP members work to reduce COVID-19 exposure through actions that align with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations on physical distancing.

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