Nuclear waste repository in basalt: preliminary socioeconomic assessment

Technical Report · Fri Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1984

OSTI ID:6519749

Cluett, C; Bolton, P A; Malhotra, S; McStay, J R; Slingsby, J A

This report was prepared as a part of the continuing site characterization activities for a proposed nuclear waste repository in basalt (NWRB) to be located on the Hanford Site near Richland, Washington. The purpose of this study is to assess the social and economic impacts that could be caused by the construction and operation of the proposed NWRB facility. The specific objectives of this study are to describe historical socioeconomic trends in the study area, to describe current conditions, to project future baseline conditions without the NWRB, to project potential impacts due to the proposed NWRB under two alternative regional development scenarios and assess their significance, and to suggest an overall impact management and mitigation strategy. A closely related objective is to assemble a comprehensive socioeconomic data base that can be easily updated for future analyses. This study examines employment, labor supply, population change, housing, local transportation, revenues, and expenditures for public services. This report documents the marked demographic and economic decline that has occurred in the study area since 1981 and concludes that future baseline growth will resume at a relatively slower pace after further expected declines have been experienced through about 1985. The projected socioeconomic impacts of the NWRB development are assessed under two alternative baseline scenarios and are not expected to be significant in either case. With careful planning and attention to impact mitigation, including public participation and interaction with local and regional planning agencies, potential socioeconomic impacts can be anticipated and managed effectively. Recommendations are made for providing frequent updating of the data base and for improving the analysis of socioeconomic impacts. 68 references, 19 figures, 38 tables.

• Research Organization: Battelle Human Affairs Research Center, Seattle, WA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-77RL01030
• OSTI ID: 6519749
• Report Number(s): RHO-BW-CR-142-P; BHARC-400/83/023; ON: DE85000574
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052002* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Disposal & Storage
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
530100 -- Environmental-Social Aspects of Energy Technologies-- Social & Economic Studies-- (-1989)
BASALT
ECONOMIC IMPACT
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
HANFORD RESERVATION
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
IGNEOUS ROCKS
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
MITIGATION
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
POPULATION DYNAMICS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIOACTIVE WASTE FACILITIES
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
ROCKS
SOCIAL IMPACT
SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS
US DOE
US ERDA
US ORGANIZATIONS
VOLCANIC ROCKS
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES