[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.