PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID ENCINITAS, CA 92024 PERMIT NO. 94
THE COAST NEWS
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VOL. 33, N0. 43
OCT. 25, 2019
SAN Encinitas files MARCOS -NEWS lawsuit against . firms opioid
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By Tawny McCray
NRC gave Edison the green light to continue fuel transfer operations, and Edison resumed in July. Edison has two independent spent fuel storage installations (ISFSI) where they store the spent fuel. The second was added in 2015 after receiving CCC approval. “That permit included a condition that Edison submit a cask inspection and maintenance program to make sure casks stay in conditions sufficient to allow onsite transfer and offsite transport,” Weber said. Special Condition 19
ENCINITAS — In what appears to be a THE growing trend throughout CaliforVISTA nia and around the country NEWS in response to the opioid crisis, Encinitas has filed a lawsuit against numerous opioid manufacturers and distributors, seeking retribution for losses and damages. “This legal action is necessary to stem the tide of opioid addiction in our community,” Mayor Catherine RANCHO Blakespear stated in a news release. “We can no longer SFNEWS stand by and watch our families suffer the consequences of the irresponsible action of these businesses.” The city, represented by Robins Kaplan LLP, is suing multiple companies and parties in the opioid industry, including the Sacker Family, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries USA Inc., Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc., Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc., Allergan Finance LLC, and Mallinckrodt LLC. Opioid distributors were also named in the lawsuit, including Cardinal Health Inc., Amerisource Bergen Corporation, and McKessom Corporation. The term “opioid” includes all drugs derived from the opium poppy. The United States Food and Drug Administration describes opioids as “powerful pain-reducing medications that includes prescription oxycodone, hydrocodone, and morphine, among others, and have both benefits
TURN TO SAN ONOFRE ON A13
TURN TO LAWSUIT ON A6
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NO MORE DOMES: The California Coastal Commission has unanimously approved a coastal deveolpment permit that grants permission for the removal of Unit 2 and Unit 3 — the two large domes visible from Interstate 5 — at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. File photo
California Coastal Commission OKs demolition of San Onofre Units 2 and 3 By Samantha Taylor
REGION — Earlier this month, the California Coastal Commission unanimously approved a coastal development permit for Southern California Edison to get rid of Units 2 and 3 of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS). The controversial decision was made at the California Coastal Commission’s (CCC) Oct. 17 meeting in Chula Vista. Edison’s proposed project would remove the majority of the onshore Units 2 and 3, the two giant containment domes that can be seen along Interstate 5 be-
tween Oceanside and San Clemente on Camp Pendleton land. The decommissioning, dismantling and disposing process of the two units would take them to at least three feet below grade and deeper in certain portions of the site, according to CCC Senior Environmental Analyst John Weber. The two spent fuel pools, which are used to cool down decaying fuel, will also be removed. The Coastal Commission approved the permit with 19 special conditions. Special Condition 3 requires Edison to provide an annual progress report by
June 15 of each year during the estimated eight-year span of the project. Edison expects to begin major decommissioning work next year. Additionally, Special Condition 3 requires Edison to submit an application amending the project’s permit within sixth months of completion and no later than June 1, 2028. The application will include a plan to remove the remaining above- and below-grade structures at the site, an assessment of coastal erosion and sea level rise, and an updated assessment of known and potential hazards of the remaining
structures. Edison recently resumed spent fuel transfer operations to dry storage over the summer. Transfer operations were previously halted due to an August 2018 incident when a canister of spent fuel got stuck on a ring as it was being lowered into dry storage and went unnoticed for nearly an hour. Though the incident was fixed, the canister could have fallen 18 feet. After that incident, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission launched an investigation into Edison and issued a $116,000 penalty in March. In May, the
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