San Clemente reaffirms support for moving spent nuclear fuel; council adopts updated resolution

The San Clemente City Council on Sept. 2 unanimously adopted an updated resolution reaffirming the city’s call for federal action to remove spent nuclear fuel from the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station.

Ryan Ewart, representing the Spent Fuel Solutions coalition, urged the council to reaffirm support for efforts to secure consolidated federal storage and eventual disposal. Ewart cited recent federal activity, including Department of Energy funding rounds for collaborative siting and pending federal legislative efforts, and noted Assembly Joint Resolution 18, passed by the state legislature last year, which calls on Congress to act on spent fuel removal.

A councilmember said the 2021 resolution contained outdated names and figures; the council approved a substitute draft that updated organizational names, monetary figures cited for national costs and other references. “The substitute language updates the names and numbers but is consistent with the substance of the original resolution,” a councilmember said.

After a brief discussion about canister safety and federal efforts to identify storage sites, a councilmember moved to adopt the revised resolution and the motion was seconded. The council voted “Aye” and the resolution passed unanimously.

The adopted resolution reaffirms San Clemente’s support for federal efforts that would move spent fuel off site as expeditiously as practicable and updates the city’s prior statement to reflect recent federal and legislative activity. The council indicated the city will receive a more detailed staff briefing at a community seminar on Oct. 16 where staff and outside experts will discuss technical and inspection issues related to spent fuel canisters.