California Nuclear Initiative Withdrawn: A Victory for Environmentalists and Setback for Nuclear Revivalists That May Have Natio

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Frank D. Russo

California Republican Assemblymember Chuck Devore and other proponents of a ballot measure to repeal California's 1976 nuclear safeguards act -- which prohibits new reactors until there is a permanent solution to the problem of disposal of high level radioactive waste -- yesterday quietly withdrew their proposed initiative from circulation. Apparently having trouble getting sufficient signatures to qualify, and enough financial backing and public support to pass, they pulled the plug on the effort.

Dan Hirsch, President of the Committee to Bridge the Gap, one of the initiative's opponents, hailed the withdrawal as being of "national significance," and as indicative that the national movement to build new nuclear plants may be running out of steam.

The irony of this proposal and its demise was not lost on Hirsch. He pointed out that 30 years ago, California's law conditioned the approval of new nuclear power plants in the state upon the California Energy Commission's finding that the Federal government had identified and approved demonstrated technology for the permanent disposal of high-level nuclear waste. The proposed ballot proposition would have waived that. According to Hirsch, that is because we are no closer after all these years to solving the storage problem.

"Nuclear power is the most dangerous technology on earth, with risks of meltdowns, terrorist attack, proliferation, and leaking long-lived wastes." said Hirsch. "This humiliating reversal for a proposed initiative to revive it in California is a great victory for common sense. Now the state can focus on safe and sensible renewable solutions to global warming."

Bill Magavern, Senior Representative for Sierra Club California, said, “California has much cheaper, safer and quicker solutions to our electricity needs. We should be moving forward with 21st century clean energy technologies instead of pouring more money down the nuclear rat hole.”

A number of groups had worked hard to fight the efforts to place the initiative on the ballot, forcing recognition that its chances of passage were dismal.