Rep. Mike Levin Outlines Progress and Next Steps to Remove Nuclear Waste from San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station

Skip to content I Want to Hear from You About Your Health Care Concerns. NEW: Rep. Levin Announces New District Data Map to Showcase Federal Project Funding. Close About Services Federal Project Funding Map Federal Policy Impact Resources Clean Energy Tax Credits Help With A Federal Agency Constituent Success Stories Community Resources List Commendations and Greetings Grants Applicants Tours and Tickets Military Academy Nominations Internships Flags Surplus Books Program Art Competition Constituent of the Month Congressional App Challenge Vietnam War 50th Commemoration Program Member-Designated Transportation Projects Community Project Funding Requests The Congressional Award News Press Releases In The News Op-Eds Contact Email Me Newsletter Subscription Offices Internships Request a Meeting with Rep. Levin Website Problem I Want To Hear From You Español Close Search Site SEARCH About Services Federal Project Funding Map Federal Policy Impact Resources Clean Energy Tax Credits Help With A Federal Agency Constituent Success Stories Community Resources List Commendations and Greetings Grants Applicants Tours and Tickets Military Academy Nominations Internships Flags Surplus Books Program Art Competition Constituent of the Month Congressional App Challenge Vietnam War 50th Commemoration Program Member-Designated Transportation Projects Community Project Funding Requests The Congressional Award News Press Releases In The News Op-Eds Contact Email Me Newsletter Subscription Offices Internships Request a Meeting with Rep. Levin Website Problem I Want To Hear From You MENU Español Search Instagram Icon Twitter Icon Facebook Icon Youtube Icon Bluesky Icon Home News Press Releases October 28, 2026 Rep. Mike Levin Outlines Progress and Next Steps to Remove Nuclear Waste from San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station San Clemente, CA – Today, Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49) held a press conference at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) to announce the release of the 2026 SONGS Report and provide updates on efforts to safely remove spent nuclear fuel from the site. He was joined by Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley; Daniel Stetson, Trustee and Executive Director of The Nicholas Endowment; and Steve Powell, President of Southern California Edison. The 2026 SONGS Report tracks progress since Rep. Levin first convened the SONGS Task Force in 2019 and the release of its report in 2020, which outlined 30 policy recommendations. Since Rep. Levin took office, all spent nuclear fuel has been transferred from wet pools into dry storage, 52 of the site’s 62 structures have been demolished, and more than 700 million pounds of material have been removed. Both containment domes are expected to be dismantled by the end of 2027, with major decommissioning work on track to be completed by the end of 2028. “When I convened the SONGS Task Force in 2019, there was no clear path to move nuclear waste off our coastline. Today, we can point to real progress at San Onofre and growing momentum at the federal level,” said Rep. Levin. “But more than 1,600 tons of spent nuclear fuel still sit just 100 feet from the Pacific Ocean. We cannot mistake progress for a permanent solution. I will keep working across party lines to secure the funding, reforms, and safe storage and disposal options needed to finally get this waste off our coast.” At the federal level, Rep. Levin highlighted nearly $250 million he has helped secure for spent nuclear fuel management and removal efforts nationwide, including more than $100 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2026. These investments have supported collaborative efforts to identify potential offsite storage locations, research into long-term waste management, and the development and certification of the Atlas railcar system for transporting spent nuclear fuel. Rep. Levin also pointed to the Department of Energy’s Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campuses as a major initiative for nuclear waste removal and storage supported by the federal funding he secured. In July, the governors of Utah, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Idaho signed memoranda of understanding to explore hosting proposed campuses that could eventually accept spent nuclear fuel from decommissioned sites like SONGS. “For too long, our communities have lived with the uncertainty of storing spent nuclear fuel along our coastline without a permanent solution in place. With rising sea levels, coastal erosion and seismic risks, we cannot afford to let this issue languish. We must move this waste safely and responsibly to a federally licensed facility,” said Vice Chair Katrina Foley. “I commend Congressman Mike Levin for his bipartisan leadership and continued efforts to advance solutions that protect our communities, our environment and future generations. Today’s report is an important opportunity to build on that progress and move closer to a permanent solution.” “The safe storage and removal of the spent fuel is truly a bipartisan issue that transc