Maine Nuclear Fission for Electricity Prohibition, Nuclear Power Question (1982)
|
|
|
The Maine Nuclear Fission for Electricity Prohibition Initiative, also known as Nuclear Power Question, was on the November 2, 1982 ballot in Maine as an indirect initiated state statute, where it was defeated.[1] The measure would have prohibited the use of nuclear power for producing electricity after November 2, 1987.[2]
Background
On March 28, 1979, a partial melt down occurred at one of the Three Mile Island reactors near Middletown, Pennsylvania.[3] This event, and other incidents at nuclear facilities, fueled movements across the country to limit and even prohibit the use of nuclear fission power plants. In Maine, the particular target of the initiative's supporters was the Maine Yankee Nuclear Power Plant, which opened in 1972 and ultimately closed in 1996.[4] In 1980, the first of several initiatives directed at that plant, which was Maine's only nuclear power generating station, was defeated by the voters.
Aftermath
In 1985, an indirect initiated state statute was approved which required voter approval for any plan for the storage or disposal of low-level radioactive waste.[1][5][6] In 1987, voters approved the continued operation of the Maine Yankee power plant with high-level nuclear waste production. It would be the last time nuclear energy would be voted upon preceding the closure of the Yankee plant.[1][7] In 1989, voters approved an agreement with the Rocky Mountain Low-Level Radioactive Waste Board to dispose of low-level radioactive waste at an existing facility in Beatty, Nevada.[8] That agreement ended on December 31, 1992.[9] A new agreement was made in 1993 after voters voted in favor of a legislatively referred state statute, which approved an interstate compact with Texas and Vermont for the disposal of the state's low-level radioactive waste at a proposed facility in the state of Texas.
Election results
| Maine Nuclear Power Question (1982) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
 No | 256,124 | 55.95% | ||
| Yes | 201,617 | 44.05% | ||
Election results via: Maine State Law and Legislative Reference Library, Votes on Initiated Bills 1980-
Text of measure
The language appeared on the ballot as:[2]
| “ |
Shall "AN ACT to End the Use of Nuclear Power for Producing Electricity in Five Years" become Law? [10] |
” |
Similar measures
- Maine Nuclear Fission for Electricity Prohibition, Referendum Question (1980)
- Maine Direct Democracy on Nuclear Waste Disposal and Storage, Low Level Radioactive Waste Siting Issue (1985)
- Maine Yankee Power Plant Operation with High-Level Nuclear Waste, Question 1 (1987)
- Maine Rocky Mountain Low-Level Radioactive Waste Board Disposal Agreement, Question 13 (1989)
- Maine Texas Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact, Question 6 (1993)
See also
- Maine 1982 ballot measures
- 1982 ballot measures
- List of Maine ballot measures
- History of Initiative & Referendum in Maine
External links
- The Lewiston Journal, "State of Maine General Election November 2, 1982: Important Notice to All Voters of the State of Maine," October 26, 1982
- Maine State Law and Legislative Reference Library, Votes on Initiated Bills 1980-
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Maine State Law and Legislative Reference Library, "Votes on Initiated Bills 1980-," accessed April 23, 2014
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Lewiston Journal, "State of Maine General Election November 2, 1982: Important Notice to All Voters of the State of Maine," October 26, 1982
- ↑ United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, "Backgrounder on the Three Mile Island Accident," February 11, 2013
- ↑ Maine Yankee, "Public Information," accessed April 23, 2014
- ↑ Bangor Daily News, "State of Maine Special Election November 5, 1985: Important Notice to All Voters of the State of Maine," October 29, 1985
- ↑ Laws of the State of Maine as Passed by the One Hundred and Twelfth Legislature, "Initiated Bills, Chapter 1," accessed April 24, 2014
- ↑ Bangor Daily News, "State of Maine Special Election November 3, 1987: Important Notice to All Voters of the State of Maine," October 27, 1987
- ↑ Maine State Law and Legislative Reference Library, "Referenda Votes on Acts of the Maine Legislature 1910-," accessed April 28, 2014
- ↑ Agreement to Accept Rocky Mountain Waste, "Recitals," September 30, 1992
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
 |
State of Maine Augusta (capital) |
|---|---|
| Elections |
What's on my ballot? | Elections in 2025 | How to vote | How to run for office | Ballot measures |
| Government |
Who represents me? | U.S. President | U.S. Congress | Federal courts | State executives | State legislature | State and local courts | Counties | Cities | School districts | Public policy |
