SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY, Calif- Many people on the central coast have been toasting to victory of the Coastal Commissions denial to PG&E's advanced seismic testing. No one disputes this is a very complex study, even though, many groups who are opposed to it said there has got to be a better way. The problem is many people don't know what should happen next.
Wednesday, several Coastal Commission members said the proposed seismic studies won't do anything to make the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant safer and it's not the Coastal Commissions job to find a solution. Although, the people opposed to the testing like Mandy Davis with the group organized to stop PG&E said she'd like PG&E to analyze the data that's already been done. "To see what it tells them before they come to any other conclusions or put any other projects on the table," said Many Davis of C.O.A.S.T.
Morro Bay Harbor Director Eric Endersby said the 250 decibel high energy blasts PG&E would have used in the ocean was too great of a risk. "They should look at the data they do have and look at new science and different methodologies to see if they can get the same information," said Eric Endersby, Morro Bay's Harbor Director.
Commercial fisher Mark Tognazzini said he's actually participated in a study like the one PG&E proposed in the past. "I participated in a study in the mid-80's that used a single air gun, at 190 decibels at every 30 seconds, that was proven to show over 50-percent reduction in fish catch," said Mark Tognazzini, a commercial fisher.
Many people apposed to the study admit to not being an expert and not having a solution but agree the one proposed was not the right one. PG&E said it's going to focus on analyzing the data it has already completed and will continue its ongoing seismic research. "We will focus on gathering and interpreting this recently collected data as we evaluate the Commission's decision to determine how to proceed with additional seismic data collection efforts," said PG&E's Spokesperson Blair Jones.
