In a formal letter to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, California Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer asked federal regulators to perform a “thorough inspection” of Diablo Canyon and San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station “to evaluate their safety and emergency preparedness plans.” The March 16 missive noted that “roughly 424,000 [people] live within 50 miles of Diablo Canyon and 7.4 million live within 50 miles of San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. Although many safety measures have been taken to address potential hazards associated with these facilities, we need to ensure that the risk is fully evaluated.” Greg Jaczko, commission chair, said that unlike Japan with a smaller evacuation zone, if a nuclear crisis arose in the U.S., an evacuation circle would extend for 50 miles around a troubled reactor. The senators also asked federal regulators to answer whether California’s plants can be provided “with a greater margin of safety” for earthquakes of greater magnitude than what’s planned, and if new faultlines near those plants are under federal consideration. The next day, President Barack Obama asked for a review of the U.S.’s nuclear facility safety. “I’ve asked the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to do a comprehensive review of the safety of our domestic nuclear plants in light of the natural disaster that unfolded in Japan.” Obama stated March 17. In contrast to Obama’s “general review,” the senators’ letter “is asking specific questions” about two California plants, noted Mary Kerr, Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works Committee spokesperson.
