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Supervisors press staff on emergency planning, hazardous waste and decommissioning
Summary
Board members questioned whether the draft ordinance should set emergency planning zones, require decommissioning bonds, and mandate binding first‑responder training rather than recommendations; staff said many technical matters are under NRC authority but agreed the board can add local requirements like bonds and training.
Supervisors repeatedly raised safety and waste‑management concerns while staff reviewed the draft ordinance that would allow small modular reactors in a new industrial‑intensive district.
A supervisor asked why the draft does not specify an emergency planning zone distance consistent with federal precedent; staff replied that the five‑mile school exclusion distance in the draft was modeled on other local ordinances but that the county intended to rely on NRC guidance for technical siting and emergency protocols.
Board members pressed whether first‑responder training and notification protocols could be made binding requirements paid for by the operator rather than recommendations; staff agreed that training "can be a requirement" and suggested the applicant should bear training costs and provide access for local emergency personnel to understand facility operations.
Supervisors also asked why the draft does not require a decommissioning bond, as the county requires for solar projects; staff said the board can add bond language and financial assurances if it wants that protection. No new bond or emergency‑zone standard was adopted; the board asked staff to return with options and to secure technical expertise to advise on NRC‑related questions.
