ECA Releases A Community Handbook on Nuclear Energy: Understanding Nuclear Energy and Alternatives for the Future
Published: Fri, 03/30/12
The Energy Communities Alliance (ECA) has released A Community Handbook on Nuclear Energy: Understanding Nuclear Energy and Alternatives for the Future. The Handbook will assist local communities in identifying and understanding the myriad of issues associated with hosting a nuclear facility and, more importantly, the role that local governments can play in the development of a nuclear facility in their community.
"Local governments are integral to the development of new nuclear facilities and, as acknowledged by the Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future, must be part of the discussion on future nuclear policy with decision makers at the federal, state and regional level," said Seth Kirshenberg, ECA's Executive Director.
Mayor Tom Beehan of the City of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, remarked, "In Oak Ridge, we see firsthand how nuclear facilities and activities can provide a community, state and region with economic opportunities. Expanding nuclear energy manufacturing and resources also can provide a "clean, safe" and reliable electricity supply. However, a community must also understand potential risks and how they can be mitigated. ECA's Handbook introduces the concepts, terminology, benefits and challenges associated with nuclear energy and nuclear waste. It provides the information necessary for local communities to better understand policy decisions affecting waste storage, technology development, and nuclear fuel reprocessing."
Kirshenberg added, "Communities that are considering hosting these facilities can learn from the communities that have been through the process. Some communities have seen significant success while others have invested a lot and have not seen the financial return. Hosting a facility is not just about economic development, it is also about ensuring the health and safety of the community and understanding the future potential and impacts to the community."
The Handbook outlines five general recommendations for local communities considering hosting nuclear energy facilities:
1. Local governments must be educated and actively engage with DOE, NRC, federal policy makers, the state, and industry as early as possible in the decision making process on siting new nuclear facilities.
2. Companies and government entities leading the siting of a new nuclear facility should engage local governments.
3. Local government and community support alone will not lead to the successful siting of a new nuclear facility - support from the state government is necessary. Local governments and state governments need to work together.
4. Communities should consider and encourage policymakers to look at lessons learned to avoid pitfalls and to develop an improved governance plan for future nuclear energy development and waste management.
5. Real progress requires that all necessary parties are engaged, that there is trust between the parties, that there is confidence in the path forward, and that there is the political will and means to implement new policies or governance plans.
The Community Handbook on Nuclear Energy: Understanding Nuclear Energy and Alternatives for the Future was prepared by ECA with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Nuclear Energy. It will be available for download on the ECA website: http://www.energyca.org. To request hardcopies, please contact Kara Colton at kara.colton@energyca.org.
ECA is the non-profit organization of local governments which host, or are adjacent to DOE sites. For further information contact Seth Kirshenberg, Executive Director of ECA at 202-828-2317 or sethk@energyca.org.
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