EcoLur
'EcoLur', 'Armavir Development Center', 'Huysi Metsamor', 'Armavir Press Club' NGOs have addressed a letter to Ashot Manukyan, Minister For Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources, presenting the proposals of the interested society and the local population on the draft governmental protocol resolution “Strategy on Safe Management of Radioactive Wastes and Spent Nuclear Fuel in the Republic of Armenia”.
The letter says, 'The Armenian Government has developed “Strategy on Safe Management of Radioactive Wastes and Spent Nuclear Fuel in the Republic of Armenia” draft protocol resolution. On 22 August a meeting was held with the interested society on this draft resolution at 'Armavir Development Center' NGO with the participation of the active residents from Armavir and Metsamor Towns, Tandzut, Alashkert, Pshatavan communities and the representatives of 'EcoLur', 'Armavir Development Center', 'Huysi Metsamor' and 'Armavir Press Club' NGOs.
During the meeting “Strategy on Safe Management of Radioactive Wastes and Spent Nuclear Fuel in the Republic of Armenia” draft protocol resolution was discussed and proposals were developed. We expect these proposals to be taken into consideration in the final version of the draft.
Taking into consideration the need of the safety for the management of radioactive wastes and spent nuclear fuel, probable risks of ANPP impact on population health and environment, the dense population in the ANPP impacted zone, it's proposed:
1. To ensure the participation of the interested society and the community residents located in a diameter of 10 km from the ANPP in the public hearings of the strategic concept on the safe management of radioactive wastes and spent nuclear fuel to ensure the necessary level of confidence and a constructive dialogue.
2. To recognize all the communities located in a diameter of 10 km from the ANPP as affected communities and to confirm their status.
3. To specifically include the results of the public hearings in the strategic concept on the safe management of radioactive wastes and spent nuclear fuel in each stage of the taken measures.
4. To determine the criteria in the process of searching a platform for the burial of radioactive wastes and spent nuclear fuel to ensure geological protective component, as well as safety criteria taking into consideration the available risks, earthquake, landslides, groundwater and surface water, drainage and other factors, which affect the geological and morphological environment.
5. To present the assessment of the demand for water ensurance for the safe management of nuclear fuel. To give the assessment to the sustainable use of water resources, Metsamor River and water wells used for the management of the spent nuclear fuel and ANPP operation, to determine new potential springs for water supply.
6. To develop and adopt assessment and methodology for the safety requirements of radioactive wastes and spent nuclear fuel based on the adopted criteria and assessment, as well as for the environmental impact assessment and expertise.
7. To carry out environmental impact assessment of the measures prescribed in the strategic concept on the safe management of radioactive wastes and spent nuclear fuel.
8. To hold public hearings on the safety of the second power unit of the ANPP, the operation lifetime of which has been extended to 2026 and to present the experience of those countries, where there are old reactor lifetime extension programs.
9. To ensure the transparency of discussed topics, plans, and measures.
10. To carry out daily monitoring of soil, water, air and plants for the determination of radioactive background in a diameter of 10 km from the ANPP and the burial site and to daily publish the findings on the official website of RA Ministry for Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources.
11. To carry out courses in the ANPP affected communities on how to protect from possible accidents, to disseminate info sheets among the resident, necessary facilities, and to publish the measures on how to protect from the accidents on the official websites of RA Ministry for Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources and RA Ministry for Emergency States in visible and easily-navigable sections.'
September 01, 2017 at 16:48