After four decades of failing to find a place to dump our nation’s lethal nuclear waste, the federal government is trying a new approach:
Consent.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is designing a new process called “consent-based siting” for developing nuclear waste facilities that would require a state and local community to agree to stockpile our radioactive waste.
And the DOE is asking the public to weigh in on the process.
That’s right — instead of forcing a radioactive waste facility on a state or community against its will, which is the current U.S. policy, the DOE is attempting to adopt a process that is more adaptive, flexible and open to public input and scrutiny.
Public Citizen has identified 10 principles that the DOE should build into its design to achieve and maintain fair and just consent-based siting.
View our 10 Criteria for Community Consent, then urge the DOE to incorporate them into its design.
We have an obligation to future generations to find a safe, permanent solution for managing nuclear materials they had no part in creating.
However, a community or state should not unwillingly have to bear this responsibility.
That’s why a fundamental change in the government’s approach to public engagement, consultation and consent in managing lethal waste is necessary.
This is an opportunity.
Don’t let the government waste it.
Thank you,
Allison Fisher
Public Citizen’s Climate and Energy Program