[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.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Gary A. Patton
Executive Director
Planning and Conservation League

At its meeting last week, the PCL Executive Committee took official action to oppose a proposed ballot initiative designed to allow more nuclear power plants in California. The measure would essentially repeal the Nuclear Safeguards Initiative, passed by California voters in 1976. Here’s what it would do:

• Repeal California's nuclear power plant safety protections and permit construction of nuclear power plants in seismically active areas.

• Allow nuclear generation plants in the Coastal Zone.

• Allow construction of nuclear power plants before facilities for permanent, long-term storage of radioactive materials are developed and licensed.

• Redefine permanent storage of high-level radioactive waste to "100 plus years of onsite storage at California's reactors" as the benchmark to be met for the state to lift its moratorium on the siting of new nuclear reactors.

The full text of the proposed measure is available on the Attorney General's website.