Board to weigh in about quake fault near Diablo
By Sam Womack/Staff Writer swomack@lompocrecord.com
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Santa Barbara County emergency managers are concerned about an earthquake fault near the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant in Avila Beach, and county supervisors are slated to weigh in on the issue at their board meeting Tuesday.
County staff recommends that the board direct a letter to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, in support of a similar request by the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors to hold off re-licensing the power plant until seismic studies are conducted.
In the unlikely event of an emergency, such as an accidental release of radioactive material, the North County would be notified and would accept evacuees from San Luis Obispo County, according to county staff.
“Such evacuations would require (county) resources that address emergency management, decontamination staff from fire agencies, public health staff to address illnesses and radioactive treatment, shelter management, law enforcement staff … (and) agricultural commissioner staff regarding crop impacts,” the staff report presented to the Board of Supervisors stated.
While the fault line, which was discovered in 2008, does not in itself indicate a risk to the plant, Santa Barbara County emergency officials are cautiously concerned about “the failure to determine the threat posed by the recently discovered fault line,” according to the staff report.
San Luis Obispo County supervisors have written to the Nuclear Regulation Commission stating that the studies should be completed, “to best ensure the safety concerns of our citizens.”
They also urged that the issue be addressed “before any further taxpayer or ratepayer monies be invested in the re-licensing process.”
The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors has the option of disagreeing with SLO County’s stance or supporting it, and the board could also compose a letter to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission expressing one of those views.
In a separate matter Tuesday, the board also is scheduled to review its accounting records for the close of the fiscal year, which ended June 30.
The board will receive a report on economic indicators, revenue projections and a review of cost-cutting measures in the 2009-10 fiscal year and into the future.
The Board of Supervisors meets at 9 a.m. in the hearing room on the fourth floor of the county administration building at 105 E. Anapamu St. in Santa Barbara.
The public can address the board in person or by using the remote audio and video equipment at the Betteravia Government Center at 511 E. Lakeside Parkway in Santa Maria.
For those who cannot make it to either location, there is a live stream of the Board of Supervisors’ meetings and copies of agendas and minutes of the meetings at www.countyofsb.org.
