WHEREAS, the United States department of energy has announced support for a plan to build a modern pit facility to produce plutonium pits in New Mexico; and

WHEREAS, plutonium pits are used to trigger nuclear weapons; and

WHEREAS, the use of plutonium creates health and environmental hazards; and

WHEREAS, the governing body of the city of Santa Fe does not support the creation of further health and environmental hazards related to nuclear weapons for the citizens of northern New Mexico; and

WHEREAS, the United States house energy and water appropriations committee has recently found the construction of the modern pit facility to be "premature"; and

WHEREAS, it is the declared policy of the United States government to help constrain the global proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF SANTA FE that the governing body hereby states its objection to the department of energy regarding the location of a new and or expanded modern pit facility in northern New Mexico; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that given the lack of discovered aging effects impacting plutonium pit safety and reliability, the lack of need for high production rates given the recently ratified treaty with Russia requiring massive future arms reductions, and the need for the United States to show global leadership by example in constraining the production and spread of weapons of mass destruction, the governing body objects to the construction and operation of the modern pit facility anywhere; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the governing body directs the city clerk to send copies of this resolution to our congressional delegation, our governor, and the department of energy.

PASSED, APPROVED, and ADOPTED this _____ day of ___________, 2003.

___________________________________
LARRY A. DELGADO, MAYOR

ATTEST:

_______________________________
YOLANDA Y. VIGIL, CITY CLERK

APPROVED AS TO FORM:

_________________________________
BRUCE THOMPSON, CITY ATTORNEY

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