San Luis Obispo Mothers For Peace
> P.O. Box 164
Pismo Beach, CA 93448
> (805) 773-3881
www.mothersforpeace.org
>

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Rochelle Becker
> (805) 489-7420 or (858) 773-3881
June 24, 2003

Late May the San Luis Obispo Mothers for Peace filed a Petition to the California Public Utilities Commission. The focus of the Petition is to increase public trust and public participation relating to the Diablo Canyon Independent Safety Committee. The legal staff of the California Public (CPUC) and California Energy Commission (CEC) supported the following recommendations:

• Removal of Pacific Gas & Electric Company from the nomination process;
• Additional of a qualified public member to improve local involvement;
• Improving public outreach, including videotaping of meetings.

The Energy Commission supported moving the office for the Diablo Canyon Independent Safety Committee from Monterey to San Luis Obispo and providing a local staff. The CPUC staff did not take a position. “The San Luis Obispo Mothers for Peace believe this is an important element of our Petition and is extremely relevant to increasing public participation and trust. We call upon our community to write the California Public Utilities Commission and let them know that an office for the Diablo Canyon Safety Committee belongs in our county, not over a hundred miles away in Monterey,” stated Rochelle Becker.

The CPUC Comments states: “There was never a good reason for permitting PG&E to nominate members to what is supposed to be an Independent Safety Committee…” And the Energy Commission Comments state: “The approach suggested by the Petition [of the Mothers for Peace] avoids any perceived or potential conflicts of interest…”

The CPUC will be holding a public participation meeting on this issue and on the costs requested by PG&E in its current General Rate Case on August 27, 2003. There will be informal displays and information from 6-7 pm, and the formal meeting will begin at 7 pm. The public is invited to speak to any issues of PG&E's General Rate Case, including the reorganization and relocation of the Diablo Canyon Independent Safety Committee.

In addition, letters supporting the recommendations of the Mothers for Peace Petition, especially the relocation of the DCISC office from Monterey to San Luis Obispo can be addressed to: Michael Peevey, President California Public Utilities Commission, 505 Van Ness, San Francisco, CA 94102. For more information or to review the Commission(s) comments in full: www.mothersforpeace.org or call 773-3881.

For further information, the California Energy Commission statement and the California Public Utilities Commission statement are available.