• U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) announced Oct. 22 that he and U.S. Reps. Harley Rouda (D-Laguna Beach), Richard Neal (D-Mass.), and Mike Levin (D-San Juan Capistrano), introduced the Securing America’s Nuclear Waste Act, a bill that “seeks to address the large quantities of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste currently stored on-site at decommissioning and decommissioned nuclear reactors across the country,” according to a statement from Carbajal’s office. Carbajal said the bill would impact the Diablo Canyon Power Plant decommissioning process. “Nuclear fuel waste must be properly disposed of for the health and safety of our communities,” Carbajal said in the statement. “The decommissioning of Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant is fast approaching on the Central Coast, and it’s more important than ever that we ensure an environmentally just, safe, and economical disposal of this waste.” According Carbajal’s office, it’s been more than 30 years since Congress has significantly revised the Nuclear Waste Policy Act. “Without a permanent geologic repository, communities across the country have had no choice but to continue hosting high-level radioactive waste,” according to the statement. “Currently, it is estimated that one in every three Americans live within 50 miles of nuclear waste.” The bill calls on the Government Accountability Office to study the risks associated with current storage systems and direct the Office of Management and Budget to study the economic benefits of consolidated insulated storage.
• On Oct. 19, Gov. Gavin Newsom named a group of top health experts to the state’s COVID-19 Scientific Safety Review Workgroup. The groups of nationally acclaimed physician scientists, who all have expertise in immunization and public health, will “independently review the safety and efficacy of any vaccine that receives FDA approval for distribution,” according to Newsom’s office. Once a vaccine is finalized and receives federal approval, the group will verify its safety before the state makes it available to those most at risk. The workgroup is part of the state’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan, which was submitted to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Oct. 16. “Our response to COVID-19 has and will continue to lead with data and science including when it comes to COVID-19 vaccines,” Newsom said in a statement. “Recognizing that supplies will be limited initially and the first doses of vaccines must go to health care workers, first responders, and others who are especially vulnerable to this disease, we are working to ensure that administration and distribution of an approved vaccine is equitable.” Acting State Public Health Officer Dr. Erica Pan said in the statement that even if a small number of vaccine doses are released in late 2020, “the reality is that the COVID-19 pandemic will be with us well into 2021,” with widespread distribution unlikely for many more months. “Across the country, states are seeing increases in COVID-19 transmission, but thanks to Californians’ adherence to our public health guidance and our slow and stringent reopening, that hasn’t happened yet here in California,” Pan said in the statement.
• State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) encouraged constituents to vote, saying in a Facebook post that voters should use an official county ballot drop box. On Oct. 16 Jackson wrote that voters should make sure the ballot drop box “is clearly recognizable, designed to meet state standards for security, and bears the official county elections logo.” She added that county residents can find a list of official drop boxes at sbcvote.com in Santa Barbara County or venturavote.org in Ventura County. “Cast your ballot at an official drop box, and your vote will be counted!” Jackson wrote. “Please share with friends and family to ensure their vote is also counted.”
This article appears in Oct 29 – Nov 4, 2020.