MADISON ESTABLISHED AS NUCLEAR FREE ZONE.
Madison General Ordinances § 23.34
in effect23.34 - MADISON ESTABLISHED AS NUCLEAR FREE ZONE.
(1) Findings. The Common Council of the City of Madison hereby finds and declares that:
(a) Nuclear weapons production, in the United States and in other countries, is draining the world's resources and presenting humanity with an ever-increasing threat of nuclear war.
(b) Nuclear weapons development within the City of Madison is in direct conflict with the values of its residents, and the maintenance of their security, health and safety. (Am. by ORD-17-00030, 3-8-17)
(c) Madison voters have expressed their strong support for an end to the arms race, voting in 1979 for a transfer of money from the military budget to social programs and in 1982 for a nuclear weapons freeze.
(d) An emphatic expression of feeling by local residents and their governments can help initiate steps by the United States and other countries with nuclear weapon power away from the brink of nuclear war. (Am. by ORD-17-00030, 3-8-17)
(e) The storage or transportation of high-level radioactive nuclear wastes within or through the City of Madison could pose serious health, safety and environmental risks to the city's residents.
(2) Policy. It shall be the policy of the City of Madison that:
(a) Madison shall be established as a Nuclear Free Zone.
(b) No nuclear weapons, delivery systems for such weapons, or components expressly intended to contribute to the operation, guidance or delivery of a nuclear weapon shall be produced within the city.
(c) No waste from the production of nuclear weapons, their components, or commercial nuclear power shall be stored within the city.
(d) The City shall request the United States Department of Transportation and the Wisconsin Division of Emergency Government to provide the Mayor with advance notification of any high-level radioactive waste shipment through the city limits. Upon such notification, the City shall act to prevent transportation of high-level radioactive waste through the city by seeking an exemption from preemption by Department of Transportation regulations or using other legal means at its disposal.
(3) This Ordinance expresses the policy of the City of Madison. It is not intended to make violations subject to a forfeiture and nothing in this Ordinance shall be construed to prohibit or regulate any activity not specifically described in Subsection (2).
(4) Severability. The provisions of this Ordinance shall be severable and if any of the provisions shall be held in contravention of the Constitution and laws of the State of Wisconsin, or of the United States, the validity of the rest of the ordinance shall not be affected. It is hereby declared to be the intent of this Ordinance that the same would have been adopted had such unconstitutional or unlawful provision, if any, not been included herein.
(Sec. 23.34 Cr. by Ord. 8169, 12-2-83)
Source: City of Madison, Wisconsin, Madison General Ordinances (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/wi/madison/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COORMAWIVOIICH20--31_CH23OFAGPUPO_23.34MAESNUFRZOFetched: 11/1/2026