This is a printer friendly version of an article from the *The Olympian* To print this article open the file menu and choose Print. Back ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Olympia nears label of nuclear-free zone BY KATHERINE TAM THE OLYMPIAN OLYMPIA -- The capital city likely will become a nuclear-free zone in one week. A majority of the City Council said Tuesday that they plan to back a proposed ordinance that bans anything related to the development, production or disposal of nuclear weapons from Olympia. Under that same ordinance, the city also would try not to do business with companies that make nuclear weapons or their components. Companies would sign an affidavit certifying that they're not involved in nuclear weaponry. "Cities have the most to lose," said City Councilman TJ Johnson, who proposed the ordinance. "As both a capital and port city, Olympia is especially vulnerable. What good does it do to take important local actions for sustainability if we're always 15 minutes away from the end of civilization as we know it?" Some council members raised questions about whether the proposed law opens the city up to potentially costly liability. "I have to be concerned: This is more than a symbolic thing," Mayor Mark Foutch said. "This may not be a popular decision, but it's a conscientious one." "We've been telling the public for years we will eliminate services, that we can't do new stuff, and this is one that could cost us in liability," he said. Council members did not add international peace matters to their campaign material when they asked the public to vote them into office, Foutch said. "I don't think the public had any warning we would go in this direction." The ordinance reaches the council for a formal vote next week. Five council members -- Matthew Green, Joe Hyer, Johnson, Curt Pavola and Laura Ware -- said Tuesday that they will vote in favor. Councilman Doug Mah said he has not decided yet. *Residences respond* During the 11/2-hour public hearing Tuesday, nearly 40 residents urged the council to pass the ordinance. Some likened nuclear weapons to "a portable holocaust" that kill people, hurt the environment and leave communities economically devastated. They asked the council to lay aside legal and economic concerns and take a moral stand. "We do have enormous power in our own backyard," resident Peter Harris said. "It would have a domino effect, cascading across the country, making it impossible for nuclear weapons to move through our great lands." "We're not No. 1, we're No. 4,000-and-something," said Larry Mosqueda, who was referring to the more than 4,500 nuclear-free zones that exist in 23 countries. "I suggest we get with the program and do this officially because the federal government is quite behind the times." Nobody spoke out against the proposed ordinance. The idea of declaring Olympia nuclear-free has been bandied about before. In February, Olympia passed a resolution calling for a worldwide end to nuclear weapons by 2020. In May, Johnson served as the council representative at the international nonproliferation review conference at the United Nations in New York. He proposed the ordinance the next month. The city does business with 32 companies that make the components used in nuclear weapons, according to a list compiled by and borrowed from the city of Arcata, Calif. These companies supply cars and other major items to the city. Under the ordinance, the city still would do business with companies that don't sign the affidavit if there isn't a reasonable alternative. But officials would announce the company's name at a public council meeting and write a letter asking the company to stop producing nuclear weapons or their components. Officials would take the companies at their word when they sign the affidavit because they lack the staff and expertise to monitor whether companies are telling the truth. They'll depend on watchdog groups to raise those questions. Lying about being involved in nuclear weapons would be an infraction punishable by fines. The ordinance does not affect nuclear medicine or fissionable materials used in smoke detectors, light-emitting watches and clocks. It does not deal with depleted uranium, which is a concern among some peace activists who worry about lung damage and cancer from military equipment being shipped into the Port of Olympia. It would apply to cargo coming in and out of the port because ships traveling through Budd Inlet enter the city limits. It would not apply to the USS Olympia, the nuclear-powered submarine that was at the center of a fiery debate last year, unless it carries nuclear weapons. ------------------------------------------------------------------------