Rep. Mike Levin Reintroduces Bipartisan Legislation to Prioritize San Onofre for Spent Nuclear Fuel Removal
Washington, D.C.- Today, U.S. Representatives Mike Levin (D-CA), Darrell Issa (R-CA), and Young Kim (R-CA) reintroduced the bipartisan Spent Fuel Prioritization Act to prioritize the removal of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) from decommissioned nuclear sites in areas with large populations, high seismic hazard, and where the continued storage of spent nuclear fuel poses a national security risk.
The bill aims to make high-risk, shutdown nuclear sites like San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) a top priority for spent nuclear fuel removal, given over nine million people live within 50 miles of the site, the high risk of seismic activity in the region, and the site’s location on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. The criteria included in this bill has the potential to expedite spent nuclear fuel removal at SONGS.
“As I'm beginning my fourth term in Congress, I’m continuing my focus on advancing bipartisan legislation that will expedite the removal of spent nuclear fuel from San Onofre,” said Rep. Levin. “San Onofre should be at the top of the Department of Energy’s list for spent nuclear fuel removal, and this bipartisan legislation implements criteria to help achieve that. We’ve made great progress to restart and advance the Department of Energy’s consent-based siting process, and I will continue to fight for high-risk sites like San Onofre to get the attention and waste removal efforts needed.”
“Our Southern California communities deserve the peace of mind that comes from knowing that spent fuel is no longer stored at the facility,” Rep. Issa said. “For too long, the question of spent fuel storage has been held hostage and prevented closure and moving to the next chapter for facilities like SONGS and also stymied the push to look to nuclear power, when well-managed and executed, as a long-term source of clean energy when the fuel is handled safely and stored away from people, installations and the threat of natural disaster.”
“Even though it’s decommissioned, the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station poses serious public safety risks to the millions of Americans in Orange County and San Diego areas in addition to Camp Pendleton’s facilities. We cannot allow spent nuclear fuel to harm innocent lives,” said Rep. Young Kim. “The?Spent Fuel?Prioritization Act?is critical to protect our?communities from hazardous?waste, and I’m proud to join in this bipartisan effort.”
The Spent Fuel Prioritization Act was first introduced in the 116th Congress. The bill does not favor a site for a permanent repository nor for a consolidated interim storage facility and does not authorize the transfer of spent fuel to any non-consenting state or locality.
Rep. Levin has been a longtime advocate for increased transparency, accountability, safety and oversight at SONGS and for solutions to move the hazardous waste from the region. In 2020, Rep. Levin and his colleagues secured funding and direction to restart a consent-based siting process for a consolidated interim storage program at the Department of Energy (DOE). Throughout his time in Congress, Rep. Levin has secured over $148 million in funding for the management of spent nuclear fuel.
Earlier this month, Rep. Levin was appointed to serve on the Energy and Water Development Subcommittee as a new member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee. The Subcommittee has funding jurisdiction has over the Departments of Energy and the Interior, the Army Corps of Engineers, and energy and water resources projects across the country.
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