A state regulator didn’t violate environmental law when it signed off on the decommissioning of a California nuclear power plant, a judge ruled last week.
In the ruling dated Sep. 13, Superior Court of California judge Mitchell Beckloff torpedoed the environmental watchdog Samuel Lawrence Foundation’s argument that the California Coastal Commission ignored its own regulations when it issued a permit to Southern California Edison (SCE) to decommission San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS).
A spokesperson for SCE told RadWaste Monitor via email Sep. 17 that the utility was “pleased” with the court’s final decision.
“The dismantlement of SONGS is moving forward with a focus on safety, environmental stewardship and transparency through public engagement,” the spokesperson said. “We maintain a shared interest with the local communities to move forward with dismantling the plant in a safe and timely manner and restoring the SONGS site for return to the U.S. Navy.”
SCE is in the process of dismantling SONGS, located midway between Los Angeles and San Diego along the California coast.
Last week’s ruling finalizes Beckloff’s June 16 decision that scrapped Samuel Lawrence’s initial petition, which the group presented to the court that same day. In its argument, Samuel Lawrence said that the coastal commission didn’t properly account for environmental risks associated with decommissioning SONGS. The watchdog group also raised concerns about the defunct plant’s on-site spent fuel inventory, which it argued the commission didn’t adequately assess.
