[Sustain] [Fwd: Nuclear Energy Initiative Enters Circulation]

[Eric Brooks]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
 
 
               CONTACT: Nicole Winger
September 6, 2007 
 
 
                                                      (916) 653-6575


  Nuclear Energy Initiative Enters Circulation



Nuclear Energy.  Removal of Prohibitions on

  the Construction of Nuclear Power Plants.  Statute.



SACRAMENTO – Secretary of State Debra Bowen today announced that the 
proponent of a new initiative may begin collecting petition signatures 
for his measure.



The Attorney General prepares the legal title and summary that is 
required to appear on initiative petitions.  When the official language 
is complete, the Attorney General forwards it to the proponent and to 
the Secretary of State.  The Secretary of State then provides calendar 
deadlines to the proponent and to county elections officials, and the 
initiative may be circulated for signatures.  The Attorney General’s 
official title and summary for this measure is as follows:



NUCLEAR ENERGY.  REMOVAL OF PROHIBITIONS ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF NUCLEAR 
POWER PLANTS.  STATUTE.  Repeals existing restrictions on state approval 
of construction of nuclear power plants.  Repeals existing state process 
for determining adequacy of nuclear waste storage, and requires 
acceptance of federally-approved storage methods.  Creates technical 
restrictions and limitations on the approval of nuclear power plants in 
specified areas of the state which are seismically active or 
biologically sensitive or where the nuclear power plant would discharge 
into navigable rivers.  Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and 
Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: 
Potential, unknown state and local administrative costs, largely paid 
for by fees, for review of new power plant applications and for 
regulatory enforcement and emergency planning related to new power plant 
construction and operation.  Potential, unknown financial exposure to 
the state in the long term, potentially in the millions of dollars in 
environmental cleanup costs at each new nuclear power plant site, and 
potentially in the billions of dollars in the event of a major 
radioactive release.  Potential, unknown increase in state and local 
revenues in the long term, to the extent the measure generates new 
investment in the state in the nuclear power industry that is not fully 
offset by decreased investment in other energy sectors.  (Initiative 
07-0027.)



The Secretary of State’s tracking number for this measure is 1267 and 
the Attorney General’s tracking number is 07-0027.



The proponent for this measure, Chuck DeVore, must collect the 
signatures of 433,971 registered voters – the number equal to 5% of the 
total votes cast for governor in the 2006 gubernatorial election – in 
order to qualify the measure for the ballot.  The proponent has 150 days 
to circulate petitions for this measure, meaning the signatures must be 
collected by February 4, 2008.



The initiative proponent can be reached at (949) 413-4472.


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