Conceptual aspects of fiscal interactions between local governments and federally-owned, high-level radioactive waste-isolation facilities

Conference · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:6380719

Bjornstad, D J; Johnson, K E

This paper examines a number of ways to transfer revenues between a federally-owned high level radioactive waste isolation facility (hereafter simply, facility) and local governments. Such payments could be used to lessen fiscal disincentives or to provide fiscal incentives for communities to host waste isolation facilities. Two facility characteristics which necessitate these actions are singled out for attention. First, because the facility is federally owned, it is not liable for state and local taxes and may be viewed by communities as a fiscal liability. Several types of payment plans to correct this deficiency are examined. The major conclusion is that while removal of disincentives or creation of incentives is possible, plans based on cost compensation that fail to consider opportunity costs cannot create incentives and are likely to create disincentives. Second, communities other than that in which the facility is sited may experience costs due to the siting and may, therefore, oppose it. These costs (which also accrue to the host community) arise due to the element of risk which the public generally associates with proximity to the transport and storage of radioactive materials. It is concluded that under certain circumstances compensatory payments are possible, but that measuring these costs will pose difficulty.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 6380719
• Report Number(s): CONF-810482-1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052002* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Disposal & Storage
055002 -- Nuclear Fuels-- Safeguards
Inspection
& Accountability-- Nontechnical Aspects
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
COST
FINANCIAL INCENTIVES
HAZARDS
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
NATIONAL GOVERNMENT
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES
RADIOACTIVE WASTE STORAGE
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS
STORAGE
TAXES
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE STORAGE
WASTES