The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

 

In 2008 we sought confirmation from nature conservation, heritage and environmental regulators that their interests are covered in our plans to assess the impact of our strategies on the environment. We consulted on our Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Scoping Document which is a statutory requirement of the European Union’s Directive 2001/42/EC. This document outlines our approach to assessment of the effect of certain plans and programmes on the environment. The 23 responses we received mainly agreed with the key sustainability issues that had been identified. In addition respondents requested more detail and clarity in some areas and usefully contributed further suggestions and more up-to-date information.

Background

The aim of the SEA is to identify the associated environmental effects of implementing a plan or programme and how to avoid, manage or mitigate significant adverse effects, and enhance positive effects. We considered all relevant potential environmental, social and economic effects. We will publish individual Environmental and Sustainability Reports for each Strategy. The Scoping Report sets out the proposed scope of issues to be considered in the assessment.

Preparatory Workshop

Prior to developing the Scoping Report, we engaged consultees early in the process at a workshop held in June 2008. We presented:

• An initial draft of objectives
• A preliminary list of plans and programmes that would be reviewed
• An indication of the key sustainability themes and
• An early outline of the contents of the NDA Strategy and UK Nuclear LLW Strategy with the possible concepts that would be used to form the reasonable alternatives.

Feedback from this workshop was incorporated in the Scoping Report, which we issued for formal consultation between 31 July 2008 and 11 September 2008.

Consultation

During the consultation period we received 23 responses from 18 of the 24 organisations directly approached. With the exception of a few minor suggestions to make the sustainability issues for each strategy clearer, consultees considered the main sustainability issues identified appropriate. They suggested:

• a number of amendments to the baseline to reflect the availability of more up-to-date information
• the NDA review a range of additional plans and programmes
• further clarification on the thematic and geographical scope of some of the topics and
• further and more detailed information about the NDA Strategy and the UK Nuclear LLW Strategy.

How we will use the Responses

We propose to make the individual environmental (sustainability) issues clear in each of the Sustainability Reports as appropriate. These will take into account the:

• specific baseline relevant to each strategy
• latest up-to-date information available
• additional plan and programme reviews and
• greater level of detail relating to the strategy.

In doing so, they will be able to highlight, in a more focussed manner, those issues that relate to the specific strategy being assessed.

Andrew Craze, NDA Environment Policy Manager, said:

“The comments we received from stakeholders will be extremely useful in shaping our approach to the Strategic Environmental Assessment of the UK Nuclear Low Level Waste Strategy and the revised NDA Strategy. These comments have also helped us to identify the relevant sustainability issues we will need to consider in developing these Strategies.”

More Information and Further Consultation

For more information on the comments received and how these will be addressed during the next stages of the SEA and the preparation of the relevant Sustainability Reports, see

 Strategic Environmental Assessment - Response to Consultation on the Scoping Report November 2008 (3Mb)

We continue to work on the development of the strategies and suitable realistic alternatives.

More information on developing strategies

We are committed to engaging with stakeholders and consultees. If there are specific issues you would like to discuss in more detail with NDA or you would like to establish specific discussions with the NDA on the content of these strategies please contact Andrew Craze andrew.craze@nda.gov.uk 

The refined strategies and reasonable alternative options will be described and assessed in the relevant Sustainability Reports.

National Stakeholder Group (NSG)

We will engage with our National Stakeholder Group (NSG) in the development of strategies.

More information on NSG activity

Low Level Waste Strategy Group

We will also engage with the Low Level Waste (LLW) Strategy Group on the development of the LLW Strategy

More information on Low Level Waste Strategy Group (LLWR Website)