The Leagues of Women Voters of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont adopted the this position on Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal, believing there are acceptable solutions for disposing of low-level radioactive waste generated in our region. This concurrence statement takes into account Disposal Methods, Site Selection, Management, Economics, and Citizen Participation.
Statement Developed July 5, 1984 by: Carol Fritz (LWVME), Aileen Katz (LWVNH) and Sonja Schuyler (LWVVT)
CONCURRENCE STATEMENT ON DISPOSAL OF LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTE (1984)
COMPACT STATUS
The Leagues of Women Voters of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont believe there are a number of acceptable solutions for the three states to meet their responsibility under the Federal Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Act of 1980 with regard to disposal of low-level waste generated within the region. The Leagues support:
- A regional compact which meets League criteria.
- Development of a single in-state site for disposal of waste produced in each state, providing the legal questions of federal preemption and application of interstate commerce laws are resolved, if no satisfactory regional compact can be developed.
DISPOSAL METHODS
The Leagues support disposition of nuclear wastes in an environmentally sound manner. The host state must be responsible for monitoring and ensuring isolation of the waste for the duration of its radioactive life. Because the region has complex geologic, climatic, hydro geologic, and seismic conditions, the Leagues support storage and disposal methods which provide for monitoring, separation and retrievability in engineered facilities using best available technology.
SITE SELECTION
The Leagues want hazardous and radioactive waste treatment, storage and disposal facilities sited under conditions which pose the least amount of risk to the public and to sensitive environmental areas and natural resources. They must be located away from natural hazard areas, drinking water supplies, fragile land areas, valuable ecosystems, significant renewable resources, wildlife, historic and agricultural areas. Secondary land use impacts, such as buffer areas, adequate roads and transportation safety, must also be considered.
MANAGEMENT
The Leagues endorse host state control during all stages of managing low-level radioactive waste. The host state should oversee: site selection, active operations, the decommissioning, closure, and institutional control of the site. This must include longterm monitoring and maintenance to ensure that wastes remain isolated until they are environmentally safe. The host state needs enforcement capability and the ability to sue violators for damages.
ECONOMICS
A complete evaluation of the economic, social, and environmental impacts must be carried out in such a way that decision makers and the public have adequate information on which to base a decision. The full costs of planning, selecting, building, administering, operating, monitoring, providing liability coverage and institutional control after closure must be adequately projected and borne by the generators of waste. Provision should be made for periodic review of the economics of the operation.
CITIZEN PARTICIPATION
The League of Women Voters strongly believes that public understanding is crucial to the success of important decisions on low-level waste disposal. The League proposes clear provisions for public participation and strict application of the Right-to-Know Law. Citizen participation throughout the decision making process must be assured at every governmental level.