a243  1436  01 Jul 79
AM-Anti-Nukes,380
By ROBERT LOCKE
AP Science Writer
    SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (AP) - Enemies of nuclear power, after
flexing their muscles at a weekend rally attended by more than 25,000
people, promise a human blockade to keep the nearby Diablo Canyon
reactor from opening.
    The Abalone Alliance, which sponsored the rally, credited its
growing strength for drawing Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. to Saturday's
demonstration - which he called ''an impressive display of concern'' -
with a pledge of support.
    The governor delighted the crowd by declaring, ''I not only call
upon the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to deny the license (for the
power plant), but I will pursue every avenue of appeal if the NRC
ignores the will of this community.''
    ''This could be the turning point for Diablo Canyon,'' Alliance
spokesman Randy Bernard said of Brown's appearance.
    He said the rally, largest ever held to protest the $1.4 billion
plant, marks the end of the ''years and years we've been struggling
against indifference.''
    Diablo Canyon, being built by Pacific Gas & Electric Co., is nearly
complete but is awaiting an operating license from the federal
Nuclear Regulatory Commission. A decision by the NRC is expected late
this year or early 1980.
    If the license were granted, ''we are organizing a blockade to
prevent workers from entering the plant to load fuel,'' Bernard said.
''It will not be a symbolic act. We intend to keep that plant from
operating.''
    Demonstrations over the past two years featured mostly symbolic
attempts to occupy the plant site, about midway between Los Angeles
and San Francisco, and brought several hundred arrests.
    Saturday's rally was entirely legal and peaceful. The San Luis
Obispo County Sheriff's Office reported no arrests.
    Actor Robert Blake told the crowd he showed up because ''I've been a
jerk too long. I let you people stop the war for me and my family.''
    He said that won't happen again and ''if there's a blockade, I'll be
there and the first one of you who goes to jail, I'll be right there
with you.''
    The Alliance, a coalition of California anti-nuclear groups, staged
the rally on a field, owned by the National Guard, northwest of the
city. It spent $11,600 on advertising the event.
    
ap-ny-07-01 1736EDT
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