Proposed Constitutional Amendment to Keep Nuclear Wastes from Ohio!

Driven by concerns for the health of our families and communities, Ohioans have formed a citizen advocacy group. This alliance, Citizens Protecting Ohio, has developed an initiative petition to place a constitutional Amendment on the ballot to accomplish four objectives:
  1. Keep out-of-state radioactive waste out of Ohio.
  2. Allow for storage of radioactive wastes from medical treatment or other scientific uses.
  3. Ensure that this waste is stored in a manner that prevents any environmental contamination.
  4. Require generators of radioactive wastes, not taxpayers, to pay for its storage.

TEXT OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT

Be it resolved by the people of the State of Ohio: The Ohio Constitution is amended by the addition of a new Article XV, Section 11 to read:

Paragraph (A). Ohio shall not serve as a host state or a site for storage or disposal of radioactive wastes from outside the State of Ohio, including wastes whose radioactivity is produced and used outside of Ohio.

Paragraph (B). In order to protect the people's right to a healthful and safe environment free from radioactive contamination, it is the policy of the State of Ohio that radioactive wastes must be safely stored and disposed of in such a manner as to prevent any contamination of air, soil, or water.

Paragraph (C). Radioactive wastes resulting from medical diagnosis or treatment or biological or earth science research activities conducted within Ohio may be stored in licensed disposal facilities which Ohio has the Authority to regulate and which comply with Paragraph B of this amendment.

Paragraph (D). The financial responsibility for storing and disposing of radioactive wastes shall remain with the generators of the wastes.

Paragraph (E). In the event that any provision of this amendment is declared by a court to be invalid, such declaration shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions.

Please Help Us!

Citizens working together across Ohio will make their voices heard in state government over the clamor of nuclear special interests. Please join us. We are in great need of people to circulate petitions. (Each petition has room for 20 signatures.) If you want to help, send your name, address, phone number with area code, email address, and the number of petitions requested to the address below or email us. We are an all volunteer organization running on a meager budget -- we would welcome any and all financial contributions to our campaign (though since we are a Legislative Political Action Committee, these are not tax deductible). These can be mailed to:

Citizens Protecting Ohio
6403 Clark State Rd
Blacklick, Ohio 43004
614-294-8206

Thank You!!

Paid for by Citizens Protecting Ohio Against a Six-State Radioactive Waste Dump
Margaret B. Gray, Treasurer, 3119 Essex Rd., Cleveland Heights OH 44118

Copyright © 1996-1998 Citizens Protecting Ohio
Revised: 1/10/97

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