Much ado about Diablo nuclear waste

Re “Review of Terrorist Threat to Reactor Ordered,” June 3

There is no question that the risk of a terrorist attack on the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant should be considered in any safety review. But the important question should be: Is this a significant issue? We need to be honest about what is going on. Anti-nuclear power groups are trying to hobble and eventually shut our nuclear plants. Politicians are trying to scare us because it makes them appear as if only they can protect us from terrorists. Although the Nuclear Regulatory Commission may not have made its case about not specifically reviewing threats to an expanded spent fuel pool at Diablo Canyon, we should not be fooled into thinking this can be a major public safety problem. Stores of spent nuclear fuel are a minor target compared with trucks on the road carrying highly toxic chemicals and easily accessible refineries and chemical plants. We should concentrate our efforts and resources on more accessible targets.

JAMES E. OWENS

La Canada Flintridge