What do nuclear power plants, a 2016 Senate race and assault weapons have in common? A lot, actually.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the federal watchdog overseeing all things nuclear, was forced to step in Wednesday to issue a special exemption for guards to wield assault weapons to keep nuclear power plants secure, after the Democratic nominee in the 2016 California Senate race apparently got in the way.
The Los Angeles Times reports that the commission stepped in after California Attorney General Kamala Harris refused to extend the assault weapons exemption when taking over from her predecessor.
Harris is running for the open California spot in the U.S. Senate, taking over from environmental stalwart Sen. Barbara Boxer, who is retiring at the end of the year.
The plants affected by the order would include two in California owned by Southern California Edison, one of which has been closed and the other the last operating plant in the Golden State. The commission also allowed special weapons to be used at plants in New York.
“The lack of a written exemption from the current California Attorney General prevents the licensee’s security personnel from having access to firearms and devices needed to implement the licensee’s protective strategy at [the power plants], since firearms dealers are not willing to honor the [previous AG’s] 2004 exemption letter,” the Nuclear Regulatory Commission stated in its order.
The assault weapons exemption is required to protect the closed plant, specifically because of all the radioactive waste being stored there. The waste cannot be moved because of a lack of a centralized nuclear waste repository.
The Times said a spokesman for Harris did not immediately respond to questions about why the attorney general was unwilling to extend the 2004 firearms exemption.
Harris won the California primary on Tuesday, beating out her Democratic challengers.
Boxer, who Harris would replace if she wins in the November general election, is the top Democrat on the Environment and Public Works Commmittee that oversees the NRC and the nuclear power plant fleet.
Boxer has been opposed to keeping nuclear power plants open in the wake of the 2011 disaster in Fukushima, Japan, and succeeded in shutting down the San Onofre power plant in her state.
