In the News
The Capistrano Dispatch: House passes Appropriations Bill with $25 million for interim Nuclear Waste Program
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a $982.8 billion spending package last month that includes millions in funding to establish a program to temporarily store nuclear waste from the nation’s power plants, including the San Onofre Nuclear Generation Station (SONGS). The four-bill appropriations package, which passed in a 226-203 vote on June 19, provides several federal agencies funding for Fiscal 2020, beginning Oct. 1. The Department of Energy will have a budget of $37.1 billion, with … Continue Reading
June 13, 2019
Surfer Magazine: Meet the Congressman with a Plan to Move San O’s Nuclear Waste
Congressman Mike Levin represents California’s 49th district, arguably one of the finest in the country, with the 49th stretching from San Juan Capistrano down to La Jolla and encompassing miles of beautiful coastline, dozens of quality waves and…3.6 million pounds of nuclear waste. That last part has long been a concern for residents of the 49th, which is probably one of the main reasons they voted for Levin in the 2018 election. Levin, a Democrat from San Juan who previously worked as an … Continue Reading
June 10, 2019
Courthouse News Service: Congressmen Call for Federal Rules on Nuclear Waste Cleanup
LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif. (CN) - At a U.S. House subcommittee hearing in Southern California on Friday, three congressmen said Congress must press for federal nuclear waste policy and pass legislation defining how and where waste can be stored. Under federal law, dangerous nuclear fuel waste must be stored and sealed in underground geologic formations to protect public health. But there are currently no federal sites for permanent or interim storage of nuclear waste, leaving operators of … Continue Reading
June 07, 2019
The Coast News Group: Congressman Levin talks climate strategies with local scientists, city leaders
REGION — In late May, Rep. Mike Levin (D-San Juan Capistrano) sought advice during a roundtable discussion at Scripps Institution of Oceanography from UC San Diego scientists, a regional clean energy expert and Oceanside city staff for developing policy proposals to address climate change at the federal level. Also leading the roundtable discussion was Rep. Kathy Castor, a Democrat who represents the Tampa Bay area of Florida. Both Levin and Castor represent coastal areas that are … Continue Reading
May 29, 2019
NBC News: San Diego Rep. Mike Levin Strikes Bipartisanship on 3 Veteran Support Bills
U.S. Rep. Mike Levin, D-California, was in his North County district on Tuesday touting a trio of bills to benefit veterans that have been passed in the House. The Democratic congressman touts all of these bills as bipartisan; each was introduced alongside one of his Republican colleagues. "You know, Mitch McConnell has said he's the Grim Reaper and has called the Senate where Democratic bills go to die," Levin said. "These aren't Democratic bills. These are truly bipartisan bills and … Continue Reading
May 26, 2019
The Coast News: House includes $185 million in funding for Camp Pendleton projects
CAMP PENDLETON — More than $185 million in federal funding has been included in the new Fiscal Year 2020 appropriations bill for two military construction projects at Camp Pendleton. On May 26, Rep. Mike Levin (D-San Juan Capistrano) announced the funding was included in the new fiscal year 2020 House Appropriations bill for the projects on base. Previously in March, Levin wrote a letter asking the House Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies to … Continue Reading
May 23, 2019
OC Register: Nuclear waste from San Onofre would get first dibs for relocation under new bill
A congressional bill that would prioritize the removal of nuclear waste from places with high population and high seismic activity — that is, San Onofre — was introduced Thursday, May 23, by U.S. Rep. Mike Levin, D-San Juan Capistrano. Some 9 million people live within 50 miles of the shuttered San Onofre Nuclear Generation Station. About 20 million live within 50 miles of New York’s Indian Point reactors, which are about to be decommissioned. But San Onofre’s perch in Southern … Continue Reading
May 22, 2019
The Hill: Rep. Mike Levin Op-Ed: Congress must press Interior secretary to act on climate change
In my home state of California, the indicators of our rapidly changing climate are unmistakable. Our summers are hotter, our droughts are more severe, and our land is drier, creating fuel for year-round wildfires that can wipe out entire communities. There is no question that these conditions are a direct effect of our climate crisis. The scientific consensus is clear that human action is driving climate change, and it is already having a devastating impact on our planet. Climate change … Continue Reading
May 14, 2019
The Capistrano Dispatch: Levin Names Ecology Center Director as Constituent of the Month
U.S Congressman Mike Levin (D-CA) recently announced that Evan Marks, executive director of The Ecology Center, is the Constituent of the Month for May. “Each month, it’s my pleasure to recognize residents of the 49th District who have gone above and beyond to make our community stronger, and Evans has done just that,” Levin said. Marks is the founder of The Ecology Center, where he and his team transformed a vacant lot into an educational and resourceful space for the community, Levin … Continue Reading
May 10, 2019
The Capistrano Dispatch: Rep. Levin Requests Audit of TCA
U.S. Representative Mike Levin (D-CA) sent a letter to California State Controller Betty Yee to request that her office audit the Transportation Corridor Agencies’ (TCA) finances, according to a press release from Levin’s office. The audit is in response to a story the Los Angeles Times published on March 11 concerning the TCA board’s alleged mismanagement of public funds while working to advance the toll road extension project. “It is critical that the State of California investigate … Continue Reading
April 16, 2019
The San Diego Union-Tribune: Levin to introduce bill giving San Onofre nuclear waste ‘top priority’ from feds
By: Rob Nikolewski A freshman member of Congress announced Tuesday that he will introduce legislation aimed at making sure the 3.55 million pounds of nuclear waste at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, also known as SONGS, “receives top priority” when the federal government finally finds a place -- or places -- to deposit the roughly 80,000 metric tons of spent fuel piling up at reactor sites across the country. “Ultimately, the safest thing for our region is to move … Continue Reading
April 16, 2019
Fox 5 San Diego: Congressmen want nuclear waste moved from San Onofre
By Jamie Chambers Two Southern California congressmen say they will introduce legislation to move nuclear waste from the former site of the San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant to a permanent storage area. Tuesday, Rep. Mike Levin (D-San Juan Capistrano) and Rep. Harley Rouda (D-Laguna Beach) toured the power plant to check on the progress of the decommissioning. Workers have temporarily halted moving spent nuclear fuel rods from the decommissioned reactors to storage containers on the side … Continue Reading
April 16, 2019
KPBS: Congressman Levin Proposes Bill To Tackle San Onofre Nuclear Storage
By: Claire Trageser Congressman Mike Levin on Tuesday waded into the ongoing dilemma over what to do about the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. The process of storing spent fuel there is on hold after an incident last summer where one of the fuel canisters almost dropped 18 feet. Plus, there's still no answer for what to ultimately do with the spent fuel. Levin, who represents the 49th district that includes San Onofre, toured the station on Tuesday and announced he plans to … Continue Reading
March 22, 2019
Capistrano Dispatch: Congressman Levin has Coffee with Constituents
By Shawn Raymundo Holding his inaugural Coffee with Your Congressman event, Rep. Mike Levin, of California’s 49th District, met with constituents at Ellie’s Table at Egan House on the morning of Friday, March 22. Levin, a resident of San Juan Capistrano, spent one-on-one time with locals answering their questions. “We’re going to keep doing these,” Levin said, addressing the crowd. He later added, “I want to be accessible. I want to know what’s on your mind.” Last month, the … Continue Reading
March 14, 2019
San Diego Union-Tribune: Congressman Mike Levin to introduce military housing oversight bill
By Andrew Dyer Rep. Mike Levin, D-San Juan Capistrano, will introduce a bill in Congress Thursday to address reports of poor living conditions at privately-run military housing sites nationwide. According to a statement, the Ensuring Safe Housing for our Military Act, Levin’s first piece of legislation since his November election, would “create stronger oversight mechanisms, allow the military to withhold payments to contractors until issues are resolved and prohibit contractors from … Continue Reading
March 12, 2019
Los Angeles Times: Congressman slams payments to tollway consultants and calls on governor to ensure proper oversight
By Adam Elmahrek Rep. Mike Levin, a vocal opponent of plans to extend the 241 toll road through south Orange County, has called on the governor’s office to ensure proper oversight of the local tollway authority after a Times article revealed questionable payments to the agency’s public outreach consultants. In a letter Tuesday to Gov. Gavin Newsom, Levin (D-San Juan Capistrano) claimed “betrayal of the public trust” and asked the governor to examine whether ethics and transparency … Continue Reading
January 29, 2019
San Diego Union-Tribune: Congressman Levin forms a task force to study moving, storing San Onofre's nuclear waste
Newly elected Rep. Mike Levin has organized a task force to consider how millions of pounds of radioactive waste from the shuttered San Onofre nuclear plant can be safely stored in coming years — or moved far away from the coast. Levin, who was elected in November to the 49th District congressional seat previously held by Rep. Darrell Issa, named a retired U.S. Navy rear admiral and a former U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission chairman as co-leaders of the task force. “It is imperative … Continue Reading
January 28, 2019
Courthouse News: Environment a Top Concern at Freshman Congressman’s Town Hall
OCEANSIDE, Calif. (CN) - Hundreds of Southern California residents packed a high school auditorium Saturday for Rep. Mike Levin’s first town hall where the freshman congressman focused heavily on environmental concerns, including the shuttered San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) just minutes down the freeway from his family’s home. Levin, an environmental attorney, was elected in November as part of the “blue wave” which drowned many long-held Republican districts in Orange … Continue Reading
January 22, 2019
San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial: Rep. Mike Levin: Here's how I'm spending my first year in Congress
When the people of California’s 49th District elected me to represent them in Congress, I did not imagine that I would be sworn in during a partial government shutdown. On the same day that I raised my right hand and took the oath of office, I also cast my first votes to fund federal agencies that have been shut down by President Donald Trump. The funding bills we have voted on since are not controversial. In fact, they are the same bills that Senate Republicans supported just a month ago. … Continue Reading
January 08, 2019
KPBS: Rep. Mike Levin On His First Days In Congress
Congressman Mike Levin, who was elected to represent San Diego County's 49th Congressional District, was sworn into office last week amid one of the longest government shutdowns in recent history. Funding for a border wall has been the main sticking point in negotiations to reopen the government. On Tuesday, President Trump is scheduled to give a prime-time address and make the case for the wall. The president is also planning to make a trip to the southern border later in the … Continue Reading