Bundesministerium fr Umwelt, Naturschutz und nukleare Sicherheit, 11055 Rita Schwarzelhr-Sutter Parlamentarische Staatssekretärin by email only: Mitglied des Deutschen Bundestages

TEL +49 Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State FAX +49

Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy @bmu.bund.de www.bmu.de 1 Victoria Street London SW1H 0ET United Kingdom

Berlin, 21.03.2018

Dear Colleague,

Thank you for your letter of 25 January 2018 informing us about the public consultation process on UK Government’s draft of a National Policy State- ment (NPS) on the Geological Disposal Infrastructure for higher activity ra- dioactive waste.

I appreciate you informing us at this stage and giving us the opportunity to comment beyond the obligations according to the SEA directive 2001/42/EC. The German public has been informed of the consultation pro- cess as well.

The disposal of radioactive waste, especially waste containing high levels of radioactivity, is a task that has to be approached in a timely manner in order to avoid putting undue burdens on future generations. According to interna- tional consensus, the disposal option offering the highest level of safety is a disposal facility in a deep geological formation, which is also pursued in

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Germany. Therefore, I appreciate the UK Government now taking concrete steps towards locating possible sites for such a disposal facility.

I consent with you that at this point in time consequences of the NPS in question with transboundary effects on German territory cannot be identi- fied, as the NPS only sets a general framework for the future siting process for a geological disposal facility. Since such consequences might become conceivable at a later time during the process, I would be pleased if you kept us informed about further progress in this matter.

Yours sincerely