Voters Bury Initiative on Radioactive Waste

["Joseph Heckman" <jheckman@envirocareutah.com>]

For those who are interested in the "Radioactive Waste Restrictions Act"

initiative on the Utah ballot, I have copied an article from our, usually

misinformed, anti-everything radioactive, local reporter.



Voters Bury Initiative on Radioactive Waste

 Wednesday, November 6, 2002





BY JUDY FAHYS

THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE



   Voters dumped Initiative 1.

    The proposed radioactive waste law, the target of a multimillion-dollar

opposition campaign by Envirocare of Utah, had received more than two "no"

votes for every one cast in favor of the measure as of press time.

    Utahns Against Unfair Taxes, the Envirocare-sponsored political issues

committee, clinched its hard-won victory after a seven-month campaign to

persuade voters the Radioactive Waste Restrictions Act was too complex for a

citizens' initiative and unfairly taxed one company. Envirocare, which

operates a radioactive waste landfill in Tooele County, said the measure

would drive away its out-of-state customers and put the company out of

business.

    Envirocare owner Khosrow Semnani declined to comment at a celebration

party for opponents at the posh Hotel Monaco in downtown Salt Lake City. But

Hugh Matheson, leader of the opposition coalition, said: "The voters have

overwhelmingly said 'no' to corporate warfare by initiative."

    More than 95,000 voters signed petitions this past spring to put the

measure on the ballot -- more than any other citizens' initiative in Utah

history. But, because of opponents' legal and political maneuvers, it took a

Utah Supreme Court order to secure the initiative a place on the ballot.

    Opponents peppered the airwaves, phone lines and mailboxes with attacks

on Initiative 1, including its promise of funding for schools and

anti-poverty programs. Matheson said the campaign also benefited from

endorsements from state legislators and dozens of other elected officials.

    Up to the week before the election, proponents had spent $717,033,

compared to nearly opponents' $2.9 million, virtually all of it from

Envirocare.

    The measure would have outlawed higher levels of radioactive waste from

coming to Utah and raised taxes on low-radioactivity waste already

permitted.

    The initiative's defeat was a blow to a coalition that included the Utah

Education Association, Crusade for the Homeless and environmental groups,

such as Healthy Environment Alliance Utah and the Utah chapter of the Sierra

Club. They blamed their loss largely on a lack of funds and the opposition's

successful "strategy of confusion."

    "I don't think we ever expected it to be a cakewalk," said UEA executive

director Susan Kuziak.



Joseph Heckman RRPT

Site Radiation Safety Officer

Containerized Waste Facility

Envirocare of Utah, Inc

435.884.0155

mailto:jheckman@envirocareutah.com







"Communications without intelligence is noise; Intelligence without

communications is irrelevant." Gen. Alfred. M. Gray, USMC







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