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Environment

Group Wants New Radiation Monitors In San Clemente

Evening sets on the San Onofre atomic power plant December 6, 2004 in northern San Diego County, south of San Clemente, California.
David McNew
Evening sets on the San Onofre atomic power plant December 6, 2004 in northern San Diego County, south of San Clemente, California.

Concerns About 'Information Flow' From San Onofre Nuclear Plant

Group Wants New Radiation Monitors In San Clemente
The San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station is still in shutdown mode after a water leak was detected on January 31.

Inspectors at the plant are trying to find signs of a leak at the Unit 3 reactor. The leak forced Southern California Edison, which operates the facility, to take the reactor offline. The other reactor, Unit 2, was already offline for scheduled maintenance and refueling.

An Edison spokesman said there has been no increase in radiation levels outside the plant since the water leak was detected a week ago.

Meanwhile, members of an environmental group want the San Clemente City Council to demand public release of inspection findings before the two reactors are restarted.

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Gary Headrick is the founder of San Clemente Green. He plans to bring up several items at tonight's San Clemente City Council meeting.

"We have some immediate concerns about wanting to get an independent radiation monitoring system in San Clemente," said Headrick. "That way we won't have to rely on the sources from the industry to tell the public exactly what's going on. Maybe they have a conflict of interest and they don't want to share all the information right away, that's what we saw happen in Japan and information was delayed getting to the public."

He also wants the City of San Clemente to pay for an epidemiological study of cancer trends near the nuclear plant.

Headrick said the group also plans a candlelight vigil March 10th in San Clemente called "Fukushima Remembered."

The San Clemente City Council meeting begins at 6 p.m. at San Clemente City Hall, 100 Avenida Presidio.