ML13052A563

Coastal Band of Chumash, Relicensing of PG&E Diablo Canyon Power Plant

ML13052A563
Person / Time
Site:	Diablo Canyon
Issue date:	03/06/2013
From:	Cordero M Coastal Band of the Chumash Nation
To:	Easson S NRC/FSME
Larson E, 415-1151
References
Download: ML13052A563 (3)

Text

Coastal Band of the Chumash Nation P.O. Box 4464 Santa Barbara, CA 93140-4464 Email: mikealan30@gmail.com Stuart Eason U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555-001 Email: stuart.eason@nrc.gov Re: Relicensing of PG&E Diablo Canyon Power Plant Haku Haku, The Coastal; Band of the Chumash Nation , a sovereign California Tribe of over 2600 members, and our ancestors, have occupied the coast of California, from Ragged Point to the Santa Monica Mountains, and the California Channel Islands, continuously for over 18,000 years. Our right, and our responsibility, to steward our land and water comes from the creator and pre-dates state, federal, and international laws. State, federal, and international laws, however, guarantee our rights to defend our culture, our ancestors, and our peoples.

We, the Coastal Band of the Chumash Nation, exercise these rights by informing the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission that further consultation and communication between us is needed. The Coastal Band of the Chumash Nation has several concerns regarding the relicensing of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, located in Avila Beach, upon traditional Chumash Territory. The Coastal Band of the Chumash Nation keeps our traditional teachings in mind, such as learning from the past and looking towards a better future, while living in the modern world. We understand that we are borrowing the world from our children and it is up to us to live respectfully so that we leave a healthy place for our children. We teach our children that to live this way honors the ancestors and in this way their children will inherit a healthy planet.

Historically, the Chumash have been confronted by violence: the violence of genocide, the violence of the missions, the violence against our culture, and military violence. In recognizing past events, such as Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and, more recently, Fukushima Daiichi, it has become obvious that the

catastrophic effects of a nuclear event, such as the latter two mentioned above, will affect generations to come and will continue to contribute to the intergenerational trauma our people have experienced.

The building of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant prompted several organizations, including Mothers for Peace and Abalone Alliance, to express their opposition based on how dangerous the location is due to earthquakes. Over several years more tests have been done, and fourteen earthquake faults adjacent to Diablo Canyon Power Plant have been revealed. This location is more dangerous than previously thought.

Several scientists have provided evidence of previous Tsunami affected areas surrounding Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant. These scientists have all stated that Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, and the dry cast storage, are in a dangerous location. The Environment and Economy Subcommittee has acknowledged this.

As several groups and agencies have stated previously, a nuclear meltdown at Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant would lead to the devastation of the land and all life.

Due to the population on the Central Coast, there would be no way to safely evacuate the affected area. The aftermath of such an event and the effects on the residents, especially the children, within this area could potentially be comparable to the effects experienced from the nuclear disaster in Chernobyl. The severe effects on the generations down the line are suspected to be brain damage and physical deformities. The numbers of humans affected by genetic ramifications due to the devastation in Chernobyl is still to be seen.

In the wake of the Fukushima Daiichi meltdown, which displaced 50,000 households, we have learned the lessons of disregarding well informed warnings and permitting nuclear reactors to operate. Since Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant creates only 16% of Californias power, we believe it is not worth the risks.

It is hard to change, but even harder to regret not listening to reason. It would be irresponsible to continue to make nuclear waste with no resolution for what is stored on the premises of Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant now.

It was publicly announced that PG&E applied for a $64 million rate increase by the CPUC and was approved to do seismic testing off the Central Coast of California. Due to he negative impacts on marine life and the risks to the public, the seismic testing was prevented. PG&E also let their rate payers in San Luis Obispo County know that they have applied to the CPUC for a $1.282 billion increase by January 1, 2014. PG&E is also requesting approval of revenues in 2015 of $492 million and in 2016 of $504 million. In their notice, they stated that the monies would be spent on infrastructure improvements, increased cost of labor, materials and supplies. If these revenues are approved, these billions of dollars should go towards the decommissioning of Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant

and placing the dry cast storage in a safer place where citizens will not be at risk in the event of a disaster. In an article of the San Luis Obispo, California, newspaper, The Telegram Tribune, dated September 12, 1981, Who Pays When It is Time to Unplug Diablo, it is stated that the Public Utilities Commission approved a $200 million rate increase towards the decommission of Diablo Canyon Power Plant.

The approval included a promise of the coastal terrace looking like it did before the mid-1960s when Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant was built. When the PUC approved this rate increase it had a 30 year operation in mind. That time has come.

Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plants idea of providing cheap energy is an idea of the past.

Thank you for listening to our concerns for taking them into consideration when making your decision. We look forward to a response.

Sincerely, Michael Cordero Acting Tribal Chair Coastal Band of the Chumash Nation