Environmental Activist

Nuclear power

BA- Business USF

The 'X' Zone Radio Show, PBS NOW, Full Focus (PBS), SF Chronicle, SD Union Tribune, LA Weekley, LA Times

Rochelle Becker has been active on nuclear safety issues in California for 28 years. As the past Mothers for Peace spokesperson and project director, Rochelle testified before the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the California Energy Commission the Regional Water Quality Control Board, the state legislature and Congress.

Rochelle was instrumental in gaining the support of California’s Attorney General and the County of San Luis Obispo for a federal appeal filed in December 2003 addressing the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s refusal to allow hearings on post 9/11/01 security before licensing an expanded high-level radioactive waste facility on California’s vulnerable earthquake active coast.

Rochelle has also worked with organizations on safety issues at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS). She is currently working with California Earthcorps in legal proceedings to address the safety concerns of replacing steam generators at the Southern California nuclear plant before the CPUC.

Rochelle Becker has been quoted in articles and published Op Ed’s in local, state and nationwide newspapers. She is often interviewed by many radio outlets including NPR’s California Report, KPFA, KPFK. Rochelle was recently interviewed by David Brancaccio on nuclear security post 9/11/01, on the PBS program NOW. Producer Peter Meryash lauded Ms. Becker’s interview “You were such a good voice of reason and I know viewers really responded well to your thoughtful and non-wonky insights”.

Rochelle Becker is the first member of the public from California to be invited to speak as a panelist at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's annual conference in March 2005.

Rochelle has won several environmental awards and for several years was the President of the Board of the Environmental Center of San Luis Obispo. Rochelle’s non-environmental community activism includes: founding the birthday program for homeless children at the Santa Barbara County’s after school program in Santa Maria, worked on Child Abuse issues in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo County, president of the Camp Fire Board and Executive Director of the March of Dimes in Santa Maria.

When not working directly on nuclear power safety concerns, Rochelle has helped to guide the board of directors, as the president of The Utility Reform Network (TURN) on issues that influence our state’s utility customers. She represented TURN at community hearings in San Diego during the state’s energy “crisis.”

Rochelle Becker graduated from the University of San Francisco. She lives with her husband of 38 years in Grover Beach and San Diego where her daughter, son-in-law and granddaughters live full time