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Public relations campaign for shipping spent nuclear fuel

Abstract

An example of positive outcome of proper attitude of the media and public on the occasion of shipping of nuclear fuel is described. Nothing new was invented in the way of public relations issue management. But a combination of a number of proven techniques were put together and the public relations plan that was highly successful. early planning was of great help. Public officials were well informd by means of ANS organized seminars. ANS had experts from Sandia Labs (a major government research facility), General Electric (the cask supplier), the railroad we planned to use and Northern States Power Company on the program to describe what was going to happen and why it was safe. These sessions are believed to head off a major portion of the local opposition. A cooperation was established with the states of Wisconsin and Minnesota in providing shipment-specific training for emergency response personnel along the route. Safety, obviously, was the number one concern expressed by public officials. Knowing that would be the case, it was decided to provide some optional extras to go with the shipments. There was a consultant yo do a safety analysis of all the possible rail routes between the plant and  More>>
Authors:
Bushee, Tom [1] 
  1. Northern States Power Company, Minneapolis, MN (United States)
Publication Date:
Jul 01, 1989
Product Type:
Conference
Report Number:
INIS-XA-C-011
Resource Relation:
Conference: PIME '89: International workshop on public information problems of nuclear energy, Montreux (Switzerland), 22-25 Jan 1989; Other Information: PBD: [1989]; Related Information: In: PIME '89 (Public Information Materials Exchange): International workshop on public information problems of nuclear energy, 236 pages.
Subject:
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS; COMMUNICATIONS; INFORMATION DISSEMINATION; LOCAL GOVERNMENT; NUCLEAR INDUSTRY; PUBLIC INFORMATION; PUBLIC OPINION; PUBLIC POLICY; RADIOACTIVE WASTES; SAFETY; WASTE TRANSPORTATION
OSTI ID:
20555987
Research Organizations:
European Nuclear Society, Brussels (Belgium); FORATOM, Brussels (Belgium)
Country of Origin:
IAEA
Language:
English
Other Identifying Numbers:
TRN: XA04C0417011018
Availability:
Available from INIS in electronic form
Submitting Site:
INIS
Size:
6 pages
Announcement Date:
Feb 20, 2005

Citation Formats

Bushee, Tom. Public relations campaign for shipping spent nuclear fuel. IAEA: N. p., 1989. Web.
Bushee, Tom. Public relations campaign for shipping spent nuclear fuel. IAEA.
Bushee, Tom. 1989. "Public relations campaign for shipping spent nuclear fuel." IAEA.
@misc{etde_20555987,
title = {Public relations campaign for shipping spent nuclear fuel}
author = {Bushee, Tom}
abstractNote = {An example of positive outcome of proper attitude of the media and public on the occasion of shipping of nuclear fuel is described. Nothing new was invented in the way of public relations issue management. But a combination of a number of proven techniques were put together and the public relations plan that was highly successful. early planning was of great help. Public officials were well informd by means of ANS organized seminars. ANS had experts from Sandia Labs (a major government research facility), General Electric (the cask supplier), the railroad we planned to use and Northern States Power Company on the program to describe what was going to happen and why it was safe. These sessions are believed to head off a major portion of the local opposition. A cooperation was established with the states of Wisconsin and Minnesota in providing shipment-specific training for emergency response personnel along the route. Safety, obviously, was the number one concern expressed by public officials. Knowing that would be the case, it was decided to provide some optional extras to go with the shipments. There was a consultant yo do a safety analysis of all the possible rail routes between the plant and storage facility. Though none was required by law, a shipment-specific emergency response plan which was prepared. Another important effort which was maintained from the beginning was sharing information among the participants. In dealing with the news media, an attemp was made to stick to a single source of information as much as possible. When dealing with the news media, one should refuse to apologize for modern technology. One should attack, at every opportunity, the idea that a ''risk-free'' society is worth the price of returning to the Dark Ages. The contributions of nuclear technology are numerous and far-reaching. Its negative impacts on health and safety have been minor compared with most other major industrial technologies. Certainly there is risk in stepping out of the caves and trying new ideas. One should re-convince the public that the risk is worth taking in light of the alternatives.}
place = {IAEA}
year = {1989}
month = {Jul}
}