State capital now nuke-free
AP
26 August 2005 
Caspar Star Tribune, Wyoming
http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2005/08/26/news/regional/5ce66743d04187f587257067007185ee.txt

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) -- Washington's capital city is now officially a
nuclear-free zone.

As expected, City Council members voted 5 to 2 Tuesday to adopt an
ordinance barring anything related to nuclear weapons within town.

The ordinance, which takes effect in 30 days, also specifies that
companies doing business with the city will be asked to affirm in
writing that they are not involved in nuclear weapons production.
Officials will then try to avoid doing business with those that don't
provide such an affidavit unless there is no reasonable alternative.

Supporters said the measure, favored by a similar margin in a
preliminary council vote a week earlier, reflects community values in
the liberal capital.

Opponents, including Mayor Mark Foutch, said it will be hard to enforce
and could result in costly lawsuits.

Before the final vote the council approved a change designed to reduce
the likelihood of legal action by largely exempting the federal
government and two major highways, Interstate Five and U.S. 101, from
enforcement if nuclear weapons or their components are transported on
those roads.

The ordinance does not, however, exempt federal contractors.

It does provide that the USS Olympia, a nuclear-powered submarine, is
not covered by the ordinance if the Navy breaks from its policy of
refusing to say whether nuclear weapons are aboard and certifies that
the vessel has no such weapons when it visits.

The sub, which does not carry nuclear warheads, has been invited for the
Capital Lakefair Festival next July, but Navy officials say it won't be
making any visits during that period because it will be in a shipyard
for two years of maintenance.