>
>
>     69th OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--1997 Regular Session
>
>NOTE:  Matter within  { +  braces and plus signs + } in an
>amended section is new. Matter within  { -  braces and minus
>signs - } is existing law to be omitted. New sections are within
> { +  braces and plus signs + } .
>
>LC 3730
>
>                           A-Engrossed
>
>                         House Bill 3640
>                   Ordered by the House June 5
>             Including House Amendments dated June 5
>
>Sponsored by Representative SOWA; Representative ROBERTS,
>  Senators DERFLER, TROW
>
>
>                             SUMMARY
>
>The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the
>measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to
>consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor's
>brief statement of the essential features of the measure.
>
>  Makes findings regarding Hanford Nuclear Reservation   { - and
>Idaho National Engineering Laboratory - } , importance of
>uncontaminated ecosystem and state's history regarding nuclear
>facilities. Declares state policy concerning processing of mixed
>oxide fuel at Hanford Nuclear Reservation   { - and Idaho
>National Engineering Laboratory - } . Requests that federal
>officials clean up Hanford Nuclear Reservation.
>    { - Refers Act to people at next regular general
>election. - }
>
>                        A BILL FOR AN ACT
>Relating to nuclear facilities.
>Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
>  SECTION 1.  { + The Legislative Assembly and the people of the
>State of Oregon find that:
>  (1) The maintenance of healthy, unpolluted river systems,
>airsheds and land are essential to the economic vitality and
>well-being of the citizens of the State of Oregon and the Pacific
>Northwest.
>  (2) Radioactive waste stored at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation
>is already leaking into and contaminating the water table and
>watershed of the Columbia River and radioactive materials and
>toxic compounds have been found in plants, animals and waters
>downstream from the Hanford Nuclear Reservation and constitute a
>present and potential threat to the health, safety and welfare of
>the people of the State of Oregon.
>  (3) The Hanford Nuclear Reservation is now one of the most
>radioactively contaminated sites in the world, according to
>government studies, and will require billions of dollars in costs
>for cleanup and the ongoing assessment of health effects.
>  (4) In November 1980, the people of the State of Oregon, by
>direct vote in a statewide election, enacted a moratorium on the
>construction of nuclear power plants, and no nuclear power plants
>are presently operating in the State of Oregon.
>  (5) In May 1987, the people of the State of Oregon, by direct
>vote in a statewide election, enacted Ballot Measure 1, opposing
>
>the disposal of highly radioactive spent fuel from commercial
>power plants at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation.
>  (6) In 1995, the Legislative Assembly resolved that Oregon
>should have all legal rights in matters affecting the Hanford
>Nuclear Reservation, including party status in the Hanford
>tri-party agreement that governs the cleanup of the reservation.
>  (7) Throughout the administrations of Presidents Ford, Carter,
>Reagan and Bush, the policy of the Federal Government banned the
>use of plutonium in commercial nuclear power plants due to the
>risk that the plutonium could be diverted to terrorists and to
>nations that have not renounced the use of nuclear weapons.
>  (8) The Federal Government has announced that it will process
>plutonium from weapons with uranium to produce mixed oxide fuel
>for commercial nuclear power plants and other nuclear facilities.
>The Hanford Nuclear Reservation, located on the Columbia River,
>is a primary candidate site being considered for the production
>facilities.
>  (9) The production of mixed oxide fuel will result in enormous
>new quantities of radioactive and chemical wastes that will
>present significant additional disposal problems and unknown
>costs. + }
>  SECTION 2.  { + The Legislative Assembly and the people of the
>State of Oregon:
>  (1) Declare that the State of Oregon is unalterably opposed to
>the use of the Hanford Nuclear Reservation for operations that
>create more contamination at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation,
>divert resources from cleanup at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation
>and make the Hanford Nuclear Reservation cleanup more difficult,
>such as the processing of plutonium to fuel nuclear power plants,
>reactors or any other facilities, and further declare that
>vitrification in a safe manner is the preferred means to dispose
>of excess plutonium, in order to protect human health and the
>environment.
>  (2) Request that the President of the United States and the
>Secretary of the Department of Energy continue their previous
>policy of banning the use of plutonium to fuel commercial power
>plants and nuclear facilities.
>  (3) Request that the Federal Government honor the Federal
>Government's original mandate to implement and complete the
>cleanup and restoration of the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. + }
>  SECTION 3.  { + Not more than 10 days after the effective date
>of this Act, the Secretary of State shall transmit copies of
>sections 1 and 2 of this Act to the President of the United
>States, the Secretary of the Department of Energy, the Majority
>Leader of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United
>States House of Representatives, each member of the Oregon
>Congressional Delegation, the Governors of the other 49 states
>and the tribal councils of the federally recognized Indian tribes
>in Oregon, Washington and Idaho. + }
>                         ----------