The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is publishing licensing criteria for disposal of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive wastes in the proposed geologic repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. As mandated by law, this final rule changes the Commissions technical requirements and criteria, as necessary, to be consistent with final environmental standards for Yucca Mountain issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

In the context of the governance of nuclear activities, especially in the field of the radioactive waste management, the self-structuring of civil society is a necessary condition of the citizens’ action. The experience of French “Commissions Locales d’Information” (CLIs) and their national federation the “Association Nationale des Commissions Locales d’Information” (ANCLI) represent an interesting and original example of local actors empowerment. In France, Local Information Commissions (CLI) are attached to most of the nuclear sites.

Our basic position is that the outcomes of policy-making in radioactive waste management (RWM) should be driven by the will of the people through democratic processes. Achieving this inclusiveness requires good practices to increase local influence on what is essentially a national policy process. However inclusiveness poses significant practical problems; can society afford lengthy and costly consultation processes, often perceived as inefficient and ineffective?

This paper is about the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) "Environmental Standards for the Disposal of Spent Nuclear Fuel, High-Level and Transuranic Wastes, " 40 CFR 191. These standards regulate the disposal of radioactive wastes in geologic repositories.

This book is the result of a collaboration that began over two years ago between researchers from the social sciences and Andra engineers and natural scientists. Contributions to the various chapters have been discussed and enhanced, especially during the workshop and the interdisciplinary conference both held by Andra in 2008 and 2009<br>respectively.

Plate NE-2B, Northeastern Region, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York (Southeastern), Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Disqualified Areas Map, Crystalline Repository Project; Plate NE-3B, Northeastern Region, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York (Southeastern), Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Equally Weighted Composite Map, Crystalline Repository Project; Plate NE-4B, Northeastern Region, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York (Southeastern), Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Phase A, Summary Composite Map, Crystalline Repository Project; Plate NE-5B, Northeastern Region

Presented at the Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board, Full Board Meeting

The activities of the UK Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM) were identified by WP2 stakeholders as of particular interest in the context of exploring the scope for local actors’ influence on a major national decision making process. Thus, they agreed to focus on this Committee as one of the case studies.

In RD&D-Programme 92, SKB presented a partially new strategy for its activities. The new strategy entailed a focusing and concentration on the implementation of deep disposal of a limited quantity (about 800 tonnes) of encapsulated spent nuclear fuel during the coming 20-year period. Following this initial deposition, the results of the work will be evaluated, and only then will a decision be taken as to how and when regular deposition of the main body of the fuel and other long-lived nuclear waste will take place.

This appendix responds to the issues raised by Federal, State, and local governments, affected Indian Tribes, private citizens, and other organizations on the draft environmental assessment (EA) that was prepared pursuant to Section 112 of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (the Act). In addition to presenting the issues raised in the comments and the responses, it describes where changes were made in the final EA.

The case study presented in this document was carried out in the framework of the second work package (influence of local actors on national decision-making processes) of the European research project COWAM 2. The study aims at analysing the process of independent assessment of the research programme of the French National Radioactive Waste Management Agency (ANDRA), commissioned to the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research (IEER) by the Local Committee of Information and Monitoring (CLIS) associated to the underground research laboratory of Bure.

The long term management of radioactive waste creates site specific issues associated with storage and disposal facilities and the transportation of radioactive material. The resolution of these, sometimes controversial, issues requires an appreciation and accommodation of community issues and an essential element of these activities is an approach to defining the extent and composition of communities affected by radioactive waste management. <br><br>A community perspective can provide an insight into the relationship between a facility and people living in its vicinity.

The purpose of the report, which is authored by the three project leaders, is to provide a constructive starting point for the political dialogue that is necessary to achieve environmental law reform. The report builds on many of the ideas discussed at the March 2008 conference, but it is not a synthesis of these ideas, and indeed conference participants may disagree with aspects of the report.

An Act to make provision in relation to the selection of a site for, and the establishment and operation of, a radioactive waste management facility, and for related purposes

Waste management operation began in France in 1969. Created in 1979 as an agency within the CEA, ANDRA was established by the December 1991 Waste Act as an independent public body in charge of the long-term management of all radioactive waste, under the supervision of the Ministries in charge of Energy, Ecology, and Research. Its 3 basic missions were extended and their funding secured through the 2006 Planning Act (www.andra.fr).

Dealing with the problems posed by nuclear waste management is a major issue confronting continued use of the nuclear fuel cycle. Large amounts of radioactive wastes have already been generated as a result of past nuclear reactor operations, but these wastes are being temporarily kept in aboveground storage facilities awaiting a government policy decision on final disposition. Although research on various technologies to dispose of radioactive wastes is given high priority, a commercial waste disposal facility is not expected to be in operation before 1985.

The disposal and siting of hazardous and radioactive wastes has created numerous problems for decision-makers in the field of waste management. The social/political problems have proven to be some of the most difficult to solve. Public knowledge of the presence of hazardous and radioactive waste sites has grown considerably in recent years. Over the same period, the process of choosing new disposal sites has attracted a great deal of publicity.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is publishing licensing criteria for disposal of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive wastes in the proposed geologic repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. As mandated by law, this final rule changes the CommissionÕs technical requirements and criteria, as necessary, to be consistent with final environmental standards for Yucca Mountain issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

This case study was carried out in the framework of the second work package (influence of local actors on national decision-making processes) of the European research project COWAM 2. The study aims at identifying and analysing the strategies and influence mechanisms implemented by the local actors of Dunkirk in order to influence the process of elaboration of the 30th July Law on the prevention of natural and technological risks. This case study was carried out using, on the one hand, a desk study and, on the other hand, a participative methodology involving a working group.

The European project COWAM in Practice (CIP) was aimed to lead for three years (2007-2009) a process of monitoring, analyzing and evaluating the governance linked with radioactive waste management. This project, in cooperation with a research group and stakeholders, was conducted in parallel in 5 European countries (Spain, France, United Kingdom, Romania, Slovenia).