Chapter 1.24
NUCLEAR FREE ZONE

Sections:

1.24.005    Nuclear free zone declared – Enforcement – Penalty.

1.24.010    Signs – Documents – Use of county resources prohibited.

1.24.005 Nuclear free zone declared – Enforcement – Penalty.

A. Whatcom County shall be and is declared a nuclear free zone in which no nuclear weapons or their components shall be manufactured, assembled, researched or stored; no nuclear energy shall be produced for commercial or military purposes, and no nuclear wastes resulting from the above activities shall be stored.

B. For the purposes of this chapter, a component is defined as any device or material knowingly produced to have the primary function of contributing to the operation of a nuclear weapon.

C. It is declared to be contrary to the policy of Whatcom County for nuclear weapons to be positioned or tested within its boundaries. Officials of Whatcom County are directed to take all necessary steps to make this policy effective.

D. If any provision of this chapter or its application to any person or circumstances is held invalid, the remainder of the chapter or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.

E. Any person, firm or corporation violating the terms of this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by 90 days in jail or a fine of $1,000 or both. Each day in which a violation occurs shall be considered a separate offense. (Adopted by vote of the people in initiative form in November, 1984).

1.24.010 Signs – Documents – Use of county resources prohibited.

A. The county executive is requested to erect signs at all major ports of entry to the county stating the following:

Welcome to Whatcom County

A Nuclear Free Zone by Public Vote on November 6, 1984.

B. In the future, the official land use and planning documents and maps of Whatcom County shall contain the endorsement “Whatcom County is a nuclear free zone by public vote on November 6, 1984.”

C. No county resources shall be used to aid, directly or indirectly, in the manufacture, siting, or testing of nuclear weapons. (Res. 85-29).