Wylfa Decision Report

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Wylfa Decision Report 1 The decision on the application to carry out a decommissioning project at Wylfa nuclear power station under the Nuclear Reactors (Environmental Impact Assessment for Decommissioning) Regulations 1999 (as amended) A report prepared by the Office for Nuclear Regulation 2 © Crown copyright This publication may be freely reproduced, except for advertising, endorsement or commercial purposes. First published November 2013. Please acknowledge the source as the Office for Nuclear Regulation. Published by the Office for Nuclear Regulation October 2013 Further copies are available from: Office for Nuclear Regulation EIADR Team Redgrave Court Merton Road Bootle Merseyside L20 7HS E-mail: [email protected] Available on the internet from: www.hse.gov.uk/nuclear/ 3 Contents Page FOREWORD .................................................................................................... 9 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................... 10 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................ 12 Application for consent to carry out a decommissioning project ........... 13 Organisations involved in the consultation process ............................... 15 Request for evidence to verify information within the environmental statement ...................................................................................................... 15 Review of the Environmental Statement ................................................... 16 Introduction .................................................................................................. 16 Changes in Decommissioning Strategy since 2008 ................................. 16 Review of the environmental impact of the decommissioning project .. 16 Air quality and climatic factors ................................................................... 18 ONR Review .................................................................................................. 18 Consultation Comments .............................................................................. 18 Conclusion .................................................................................................... 19 Archaeology and cultural heritage ............................................................. 20 ONR Review .................................................................................................. 20 Consultation Comments .............................................................................. 21 Conclusion .................................................................................................... 21 Ecology ......................................................................................................... 22 ONR Review .................................................................................................. 22 Consultation Comments .............................................................................. 23 Conclusion.................................................................................................... 25 Geology, hydrogeology and soils .............................................................. 26 ONR Review .................................................................................................. 26 4 Consultation Comments .............................................................................. 27 Conclusion .................................................................................................... 27 Landscape and visual .................................................................................. 28 ONR Review .................................................................................................. 28 Consultation Comments .............................................................................. 29 Conclusion .................................................................................................... 29 Noise and vibration ...................................................................................... 30 ONR Review .................................................................................................. 30 Consultation Comments .............................................................................. 31 Conclusion.................................................................................................... 31 Socio - economic ......................................................................................... 32 ONR Review .................................................................................................. 32 Consultation Comments.............................................................................. 34 Conclusion.................................................................................................... 35 Surface water quality, drainage & discharges .......................................... 36 ONR Review .................................................................................................. 36 Consultation Comments.............................................................................. 37 Conclusion.................................................................................................... 38 Traffic and transport .................................................................................... 39 ONR Review .................................................................................................. 39 Consultation Comments.............................................................................. 40 Conclusion.................................................................................................... 41 Cumulative Impacts ..................................................................................... 42 Consultation Comments.............................................................................. 43 Conclusion.................................................................................................... 44 Residual impacts.......................................................................................... 45 ONR Review .................................................................................................. 45 5 Consultation Comments .............................................................................. 46 Conclusion .................................................................................................... 46 Legislation Update ....................................................................................... 47 Effects on other European Economic States ............................................ 47 Conclusion .................................................................................................... 48 Legislative framework for nuclear safety .................................................. 50 Nuclear Installations Act 1965 .................................................................... 50 Other legislation dealing with nuclear and radiological hazards ............ 50 Effects of decommissioning on other countries....................................... 51 Regulators and others working together ................................................... 51 Legislative process under EIADR .............................................................. 51 Application for consent to carry out a decommissioning project........... 51 Public consultation on an environmental statement ................................ 52 Public consultation on further information ............................................... 53 Evidence to verify information in the environmental statement ............. 53 Change or extension to a decommissioning project................................ 53 Granting consent and attaching conditions .............................................. 53 Transparency of ONR’s decision on an application ................................. 53 Annex 2 ......................................................................................................... 55 Consultation on the environmental statement .......................................... 55 Statutory Consultation Bodies ................................................................... 55 Non-Statutory Consultation Bodies ........................................................... 55 Annex 3 ......................................................................................................... 58 Consultees who responded on the environmental statement ................. 58 Annex 4 ......................................................................................................... 59 Summary of environmental benefits and detriments and mitigation measures ...................................................................................................... 59 6 Annex 5 ......................................................................................................... 69 Reasons for topics not pursued for evidence or further information ..... 69 Light pollution .............................................................................................. 73 Removal/demolition of offshore structures ............................................... 73 Socio economic ............................................................................................ 74 Topics not pursued for evidence or further information – topics raised by consultees (2008 & 2013ES) .................................................................. 74 Issues covered elsewhere – town and
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