|
THANK YOU FOR READING AND SHARING WITH YOUR NETWORK
|
|
Opinion: Reprocessing isn’t the solution for San Onofre’s nuclear waste
|
|
|
In an op-ed published in The Coast News, the Samuel Lawrence Foundation made the case that reprocessing isn’t a solution for San Onofre's 3.6 million pounds of nuclear waste. The U.S. halted commercial reprocessing decades ago after India used plutonium from its civilian program to build a nuclear bomb, and experts say newer methods don't meaningfully reduce that risk. San Diego County looked into the idea and reached the same conclusion, calling reprocessing cost-prohibitive and not a strategically viable path forward. Instead of chasing unproven technology, lawmakers should establish an independent nuclear waste authority to prioritize removing waste from high-risk sites like San Onofre.
|
|
How the War in Iran is Impacting
Energy Security
|
|
|
Two weeks ago, the U.S. and Israel initiated unprecedented military action against Iran. In addition to the human toll, the war sends shocks through the global economy, affecting fertilizer, food, and fuel supplies. The conflict also spotlights nuclear in 2 key ways:
- Energy takes center stage. Fuel costs soar, electricity bills rise, and war erodes supply chains once thought secure. The chaos of energy markets has forced a reckoning, with some leaders turning to nuclear power to prevent future shocks. But two narratives around nuclear diverge sharply on the evidence. Restarting decommissioned reactors, when safe and economical, can leverage existing infrastructure and come back online in the time it takes to inspect and upgrade them. New nuclear—especially small modular reactors using more exotic fuel types—has yet to match the cost reductions of existing renewables or the advances of technologies like geothermal and fusion. Leaders building a resilient, cost-effective grid should prioritize what works first, and what has taken the largest steps forward next.
- Nuclear power plants remain a uniquely vulnerable security concern. Multiple attacks on Iran's Bushehr nuclear plant have sparked serious safety concerns. Strikes on a reactor or storage pools could trigger a regional disaster: releasing radiation, prompting evacuations beyond Iran's borders, and contaminating food, soil, and water for decades. The International Atomic Energy Agency warns that hits to nearby buildings alone could damage vital safety equipment.
|
|
Diablo Canyon Power Plant’s License Gets a 20-Year Federal Extension
|
|
|
The federal government approved a license extension for California's last nuclear plant, Diablo Canyon, through 2045; but state legislative approval is still required to keep the plant operating past 2030. Climate experts argue that money would be far better spent on renewables and battery storage. In the San Diego Union-Tribune, our Policy Director Peter Jones flagged another concern: safety reviews were waived to fast-track the renewal. "Short-circuiting that is just irresponsible," he said. A new report also claims PG&E inflated costs when asking taxpayers for a $1.4 billion loan to keep the plant open.
|
|
Action on California Nuclear Legislation
|
|
|
Good news first: a bill allowing "microreactors" to be built in California was voted down in committee. SLF signed onto an opposition letter, and we thank everyone who showed up and spoke out!
The bigger battle is AB 2647. This bill would effectively remove the requirement that licensing for new nuclear reactors are paired with a permanent waste solution. This could open the door to "advanced" reactors and large conventional reactors like the one that caused massive cost overruns and ratepayer increases in Georgia, coming in at $35 billion (more than double the $14 billion estimate). In light of the federal government's reduction of nuclear safety measures, any legislation on nuclear reactors must ensure a reasonable floor of public health protections. The vote is coming this Monday, April 20.
|
|
Volunteer with us for Earth Month!
|
|
|
This year, the Samuel Lawrence Foundation is tabling at Earth Day events across San Diego — come say hello! We are using this opportunity to bring greater awareness to the 3.6 million pounds of waste at San Onofre, one conversation at a time. If you are interested in getting more involved, sign up to volunteer. We’ll teach you the ropes, just bring your energy :)
Events:
- April 18th (11am - 3pm): South Bay Earth Day | Chula Vista Bayfront Park
- April 18th (10pm - 4pm ): Alta Vista Botanical Garden | Vista
- April 22nd (11am - 5pm): UCSD Earth Day | Sun God Lawn
|
|
Yes, In My Backyard? States Express Interest in Handling Nuclear Waste
|
|
|
The deadline has passed for states to respond to the federal government’s request for Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campuses–an initiative to build an end-to-end nuclear fuel cycle, waste disposal included. Utah, Tennessee, South Carolina, Washington, and Colorado have all expressed interest. States can choose some of the nuclear waste activities they want to administer with their own tailored-made programs: uranium mining, enrichment, and fuel fabrication can be co-administered by the state, but hosting some form of nuclear waste disposal is the price of admission. We support the government’s focus on solving the nuclear waste issue, and while any further announcements aren't expected for months, we will be tracking this closely.
|
|
Inside the Dismantling of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
|
|
|
ProPublica's latest investigation details the specific mechanisms behind recent Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) deregulation. It traces how DOGE operatives with no nuclear background were inserted into the agency to fast-track safety regulation overhauls. The agency has downsized by over 400 staff since Trump took office. Most notably, the article explores the effects of the executive orders which scrapped longstanding radiation standards requiring exposures to be kept as low as reasonably achievable. Instead of acting as an independent office, the NRC now directly reports to the President’s Office of Management and Budget with all new rules routed through the Office's Director, Russell Vought. It's a detailed, well-reported piece that is essential reading for anyone following the deregulation story.
|
|
Air Quality Monitors to Nepal's Himalayan Climate Institute
|
|
|
SLF Board Member Charles Ziegler traveled to Nepal and India to meet with the Kathmandu Institute of Applied Sciences. To support the organization’s research and teaching, SLF provided six AirGradient monitors that will establish air quality baselines indoors and outdoors and contribute to an open-source, global monitoring database. The day after Charles departed, the Institute’s CEO, Basant Giri, appeared on National Nepal Television to describe the monitors and announce expanded climate research.
The Institute also focuses on training the next generation of climate scientists in the Himalayas, which is critical as Nepal is the fourth most vulnerable country to the effects of climate change. Nepal's new prime minister, Belendra Shah, is 35, making him the youngest to take on the position. He has prioritized climate action and knows it will take his generation–along with the students at the Institute--to confront what climate change is already doing to this region.
|
|
How We Remember Disaster:
40 Years Since Chernobyl
|
|
|
April 26, 2026 marks 40 years since the worst nuclear disaster in history. The 1986 meltdown and explosion at Chernobyl released radiation across Europe, forced the permanent evacuation of nearly 350,000 people, directly resulted in over 4,000 deaths, and left an exclusion zone that remains uninhabitable to this day. The full health toll is still unfolding, and the surrounding forest is forever changed.
To commemorate this history, SLF is a proud supporting organizer of the 2nd International Uranium Film Festival in Chicago. The festival will run from April 24–26 at DePaul University's Lincoln Park Campus and will be free and open to the public. To promote awareness on risk and sustainability, the festival will feature films on nuclear weapons, waste, uranium mining, and the communities most impacted by the Nuclear Age. There will be a special showing of Chernobyl: The Lost Tapes, Atomic Bamboozle, and Silent Fallout - Baby Teeth Speak. If you're in the area, come out and bring a friend, or share with others.
|
|
The Community That Gave Everything for Nuclear Is Asked to Give More
|
|
|
Piketon, Ohio, sits on the site of a former uranium enrichment plant that spent decades contaminating the surrounding community, its groundwater, and soil with radioactivity. Piketon's cancer rates are 44% above the national average, and in 2019 was forced to close a middle school after radioactive material was detected with air monitoring. The federal government has never compensated residents, despite acknowledging the high contamination levels. Cleanup is nowhere near complete.
Now Piketon is being sited for a $33 billion gas megasite, a 10-gigawatt AI data center, nuclear reactors from the startup Oklo, and expanded uranium enrichment. Public safety and emergency plans have yet to be disclosed. In this rural town of 28,000, jobs are needed, but at what cost? Piketon cannot be asked to absorb the potential expense, pollution, and long-term risk while its community is still overdue for a cleanup that started 35 years ago.
|
|
|
April 20: Goldman Environmental Prize
The Goldman Prize recognizes grassroots environmental champions for significant efforts to protect and restore the natural environment. Livestream here.
April 22: Kim McCoy at the Belly Up
Join us at the Belly Up Tavern from 6-8 PM PT to hear oceanographer Kim McCoy discuss the Powers that Clash at the Pacific Coast. Seats are limited, so register here! If you can't make it in person, register for Zoom.
April 23: Bill MicKibben Coming to San Diego
Dedicated climate activist and author will be speaking at UC San Diego on April 23 at 6:00 PM. The talk will explore climate, faith, and collective responsibility.
|
|
|
|
|
