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. ###