Status/update on activities of the Northeast Interstate Low-Level Radioactive Waste Commission, a two-state Compact developing two sites, and its member states (Connecticut and New Jersey)

Technical Report · Tue Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1996

OSTI ID:437505

Dempsey, T M ^[1]

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1. GPU Nuclear Corporation, Parsippany, NJ (United States)

This paper provides a brief history and update of recent activities of the Northeast Interstate Low-Level Radioactive Waste Compact and its member states. Both Connecticut and New Jersey have developed voluntary siting plans and are now engaged in extensive public outreach activities. The voluntary process has as one of its objectives {open_quotes}to help attain new levels of citizen responsibility for learning about public problems and participating in their solution,{close_quotes} to borrow from the 1994 annual report of the New Jersey Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility Siting Board. This goal has implications beyond the siting of a LLRW disposal facility; i.e., how can government, working hand-in-hand with community residents and leaders build a public facility that meets stringent health, safety, and environmental standards, and has the endorsement of the host community? Throughout 1996, New Jersey and Connecticut will continue their outreach efforts, speaking to interested individuals, organizations and communities. In New Jersey, although two towns voted not to consider the possibility of volunteering, even after interest was initially expressed, people in a score of other municipalities have indicated that the disposal facility might, indeed, be an asset to their communities and that they would explore the issues with their friends and neighbors. Connecticut postponed active discussion with three towns based on the reopening of the disposal facility in Barnwell, South Carolina and the associated uncertainties this presented on the national scene. Connecticut does, however, plan on resuming public discussions in the near future. Those charged with implementing the voluntary siting process in both states believe that it can work; moreover, they are convinced that it might well be the type of process that American communities and governments embrace in the future to resolve complex, controversial public policy issues.

• Research Organization: Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States); Williams (Paul) and Associates, Medina, OH (United States)
• OSTI ID: 437505
• Report Number(s): EPRI-TR--106929; CONF-960783--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

05 NUCLEAR FUELS
COMPACT COMMISSIONS
CONNECTICUT
LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
NEW JERSEY
PUBLIC OPINION
PUBLIC RELATIONS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
SITE SELECTION