Should Coastal Commission approve revised Diablo conservation plan? | Opinion
Sen. Laird misleads on Diablo lands
The California Coastal Commission’s delayed decision on the Diablo Canyon Power Plant’s Coastal Development Permit ignored their staff’s recommendations, influenced by Sen. John Laird’s misleading statements.
Sen. Laird’s public letter suggests SB 846 requires conservation of all 12,000 acres surrounding Diablo. SB 846 does not. Sec 13a requires the state Natural Resources Agency to develop a plan with no stipulation of how much land is conserved.
The Natural Resources Agency report presents “values” “to inform future use of the Diablo Canyon lands. The “values” section of this report opens, saying:
“Due to its proximity to a nuclear power plant… PG&E’s management practices and land stewardship program, the… 12,000 acres comprising the Diablo Canyon Lands have remained relatively undisturbed over several decades. The area contains a pristine ecosystem…”
Laird rephrases each value to further his agenda. He rewords values to sound like definitive requirements. He inserts “all” the lands, which the report does not say. He downplays the suggestion for native ownership, changing ”support transfer” to “possible transfer.”
Laird presents his opinions as legal precedent, rewording actual reports to fit his agenda. Laird’s fabrications do not represent his constituents nor the truth of Diablo Canyon’s care for California’s environment.
Fereshteh Bunk
Salt Lake City
Editor’s note: Bunk is a former resident of Los Osos
Approve Diablo conservation plan
On Dec. 11, the California Coastal Commission will face one of the most consequential land-use decisions in recent Central Coast history. After decades of discussion and debate, the permanent preservation of thousands of acres surrounding the Diablo Canyon Power Plant is finally within reach. The updated proposal before the commission — developed collaboratively between staff and PG&E — marks real progress and deserves serious consideration.
The expanded mitigation package isn’t perfect, but it’s a meaningful step forward. North Ranch conservation would increase from 1,100 to 4,500 acres, public access trails from 10 to 25 miles and funding for trail development and management from $5.6 million to $10 million. These advances, among others, bring us closer to opening this extraordinary coastline to the public while protecting sensitive habitats.
Crucially, the plan recognizes the Chumash people’s deep cultural connection by granting a Right of First Refusal on South Ranch lands — a long-overdue inclusion that strengthens long-term stewardship.
Some want more conservation; others less. But delays would undermine years of local effort and could affect the plant’s relicensing timeline. Protecting these lands forever while ensuring Diablo Canyon continues operating through 2030 and beyond is achievable. Carbon-free energy, good-paying local jobs, environmental preservation and public access can all be advanced with this proposal.
The commission should adopt this improved package, along with any feasible enhancements, and set the stage for the coastal future our community deserves. Residents of the Central Coast should stay engaged and encourage the commission to finish the job. This moment has been decades in the making — and it’s ours to seize.
Supervisor Jimmy Paulding
Arroyo Grande
Support music at San Luis Coastal
There is an upsetting report that at the upcoming Dec. 16 school board meeting, the music program within San Luis Coastal School District is set to be cut due to budget restrictions. While the threat to music and arts never seems to go away, we should all be concerned about the definitive cut of an entire music departments budget, especially when the program is thriving.
Numerous studies have shown that students who participate in music programs have higher attendance rates, higher test scores, higher levels of overall happiness and a higher graduation rate. If the district is really concerned about its students, the music department is the last place they should be looking to make budget cuts.
COVID nearly destroyed the music department, but the dedicated teachers have clawed their way back into a successful program. We need to show these musicians support by attending the board meeting and expressing our concern for our students and the music program!
Laura Penrose
President, Nick Rail Music
Support music at San Luis Coastal
There is an upsetting report that at the upcoming Dec.16 school board meeting, the music programs within San Luis Coastal School District are set to be cut due to budget restrictions. While the threat to music and arts never seems to go away, we should all be concerned about the definitive cut of an entire music departments budget, especially when the program is thriving.
Proposition 28 allocates $85-$112 per student for arts education. If San Luis Coastal cuts the music department, not only will they not be compliant with state regulations, they would be crippling a generation of students who would have thrived within a music department.
Numerous studies have shown that students who participate in music programs have higher attendance rates, higher test scores, higher levels of overall happiness, and a higher graduation rate. If the district is really concerned about its students, the music department is the last place they should be looking to make budget cuts.
COVID nearly destroyed the music department, but the dedicated teachers have clawed their way back into a successful program. We need to show these musicians support by attending the board meeting and expressing our concern for our students and the music program!
Laura Penrose
President, Nick Rail Music
Why so many in need?
We have now been through a government shutdown triggered by a fight over whether the government should continue health insurance subsidies. The shutdown finally ended because of concerns that food assistance for needy people would not be paid while it continued. The larger issue is why we should have so many Americans needing help with food and medical care in the first place. In other developed countries health care costs are paid by the government with tax money, and it ends up being much cheaper than it is here. We spend 18% of our Gross Domestic Product on health care costs and insurance versus an average of 12% in other developed countries. As to why there are so many Americans needing help to pay their bills, the main reason is that we have worse income inequality in the U.S. than all but four of 33 developed (OECD) countries. This is mostly due to regressive tax policies that tax working people at higher rates than the wealthy. If we taxed everyone fairly, we could provide health care for all and have a lot fewer people needing food stamps.
Christopher Toews
San Luis Obispo
This story was originally published December 6, 2025 at 8:00 AM.