Adapting Community Impact Assessment for Nuclear Waste Transportation - 17273

As the United States develops a consent-based approach for an interim storage facility for nuclear waste, it is clear that the impacts on corridor communities will have to be assessed. The Yucca Mountain Program established a requirement for assessing impacts on communities. In order to achieve consent, impact assessment will have to be part of a transportation plan. Conventional transportation planners have developed a process for assessing the impacts on communities that occur as the result of transportation projects. This Process-Community Impact Assessment (CIA) has been widely adopted throughout the United States. This paper suggests ways in which CIA can be adapted from conventional transportation planning to the problem of spent nuclear fuel. This paper uses the CIA as 'an iterative process to evaluate the effects of a transportation action on a community and its quality of life.' This paper describes the community impact assessment process as it would be adapted for spent nuclear fuel transportation. The paper lists common impacts attributable to transportation projects and whether or not these would be applicable for this process. The paper describes the legal basis for assessing these impacts and shows how early commencement of an impact process helps ensure that transportation policies and investments include the concerns of affected communities. Conducting an assessment of this type leads to an understanding of the relationship between transportation actions and the community. Such an understanding can minimize conflict and resolve potential problems. Underlying this process is the idea that assessments that include the active participation of affected parties, leads to better decisions and greater acceptance of projects, while enhancing agency credibility. The paper defines 'community' as it applies in this case and describes the process that can be used to perform an assessment of this type. The paper concludes that a process of this type can facilitate a successful siting decision making and accelerate community acceptance that is necessary for a successful transportation program. (authors)