BY ARI PLACHTA AND STEPHEN HOBBS

Debate on Governor Gavin Newsom’s push to extend the life of Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant has raged for weeks. But on Tuesday, conflicting interpretations of a single phrase led to a whirlwind of political wrangling.

The flurry of environmentalist outrage and backstage compromise — playing out as the legislative session nears adjournment Wednesday night — illustrated a process that leaves some of the state’s most critical policy decisions to eleventh-hour changes and feverish rebuttal.

“This is a classic example of why the three-day cooling off period is important,” said Bernadette Del Chiaro, Executive Director of the California Solar and Storage Association, referring to the short, critical time required for legislation to print before it can be put to a vote.