Son of MRWS - hunt resumes for solution for Nuclear Waste

The government has publisehd a new White Paper on the long-term solution for nuclear waste, which reiterates than any such proposal must have local public support.
 
A “test of public opinion that demonstrates community support” will take place ahead of any final decision on the location of a geological disposal facility (GDF).

The white paper says that no one tier of local authority will be able to veto the plans against the wishes of others – and more information on possible locations will be provided earlier in the process.

The plans laid out by the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) include:

* a payment of £1million per year for up to five years will be made to councils to enter initial formal discussions, rising to £2.5million per year as the design/planning process begins

* national geological screening will take place before 2016 so that possible locations can be ruled in or out early in the process.

* communities will have the right of withdrawal from discussions at any stage before the test of public support

 
* community benefits “might include” improved education and skills investment, transport infrastructure and recreation facilities.

Initial discussions are set to take place between now and 2016, with formal discussions to follow for communities that volunteer. Energy secretary Ed Davey said that:

“Geological disposal provides the secure, long-term solution we need to deal with the radioactive waste we have been creating for more than 60 years, and we can learn from the experiences of other countries who are also doing this.

“Building and running a GDF will be a multi-billion-pound infrastructure project, which will bring significant economic benefits to a community.

“We’re setting out our plan to find a suitable site, based on a fundamental principle of listening to people, to make sure we have the right process in place.

“The area that eventually hosts a GDF will benefit from significant investment in the community and hundreds of skilled jobs for decades to come.”

DECC says that: “All levels of local government will have to have a voice but we are keen that no one individual level will have an absolute veto.”

I think that is the right decision but community support in the area which hosts a repository must be proven. I think a local referendum should be held and require a "Yes" vote in the relevant district before a repository can go ahead.

(The image above is taken from the government White Paper, reproduced in a Whitehaven News article giving more details of the proposals which can be read here.)

Comments

Anonymous said…
“We’re setting out our plan to find a suitable site, based on a fundamental principle of listening to people"

Not the Geology then.
6:24 pm
Chris Whiteside said…
Listening to people is not inconsistent with also paying attention to the geology.

I thought it was crystal clear from the White Paper, from the Whitehaven News article which I referenced, and from my own post here that DECC intends to consider both.

As of course they should.
10:06 pm
Jim said…
The fact of the matter on a repository is this.
Its not that a repository would be built and then waste would be produced to store in it.
Its that we have the waste right now and we need somewhere safer to put it.
2:13 pm
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