A bill that passed the Massachusetts House last week is facing criticism from Cape Cod activists concerned about nuclear safety.
The bill would repeal a 1982 state law that blocks the construction of any new nuclear power plant unless voters approve it in a statewide ballot.
Diane Turco, director of the group Cape Downwinders, says eliminating the nuclear referendum would be undemocratic.
“It’s a law on the books that protects the public,” she said. “And how dare our government try to repeal that law rather than follow it?”
She also called for more secure disposal of used nuclear fuel.
“Give us a permanent disposal site for the waste. Have adequate emergency plans. Put all those guardrails in place,” she said.
Gov. Maura Healey proposed the repeal as part of her energy affordability bill last May.
Healey has previously acknowledged that people have real concerns about nuclear safety. But she said her administration is using an “all of the above” approach in exploring new ways to make energy affordable and reliable.
In the version that passed the House, the repeal is a single line in a more than 100-page document. The Senate has yet to pass a version of the bill.
State Rep. Hadley Luddy, a Democrat who represents the Outer Cape, voted for the final bill but co-sponsored an amendment — ultimately unsuccessful — to get the nuclear provision removed.
“There's really this concern of sort of democratic ability to make a choice and allow the public [to] weigh in on such a decision,” she said.
Rep. Kipp Diggs, a Barnstable Democrat, supports the bill. Like Healey, he said the state needs the flexibility to evaluate a full range of energy technologies.
