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Management of Commercially Generated Radioactive Waste - U.S. ...

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Issue<br />

293<br />

SOCIOECONOMIC/SOCIOPOLITICAL ISSUES<br />

One commenter suggested that the Statement should emphasize the importance to the<br />

economy <strong>of</strong> proceeding with geologic disposal. (20)<br />

Response<br />

As noted above, economical employment impacts directly attributable to waste manage-<br />

ment activities were investigated. Other macroeconomic concerns (as perhaps suggested by<br />

the commenter) were not examined.<br />

Issue<br />

DOE's treatment <strong>of</strong> "socioeconomic impacts" seems designed to give more weight to plans<br />

for placing radioactive waste repositories in already populated areas where there would be<br />

a large employee population force in place. This is a specious consideration when it is<br />

made without consideration <strong>of</strong> the very considerable environmental and safety impacts being<br />

imposed on large segments <strong>of</strong> the population. (55)<br />

Response<br />

The Statement examines three reference environments with differing demographic char-<br />

acteristics for the purposes <strong>of</strong> analyzing socioeconomic impacts <strong>of</strong> repository construction<br />

and operation. For details <strong>of</strong> this analysis see final Sections 3.2, 4.7 and 5.4 and<br />

Appendix G.<br />

Issue<br />

One commenter felt the the analysis <strong>of</strong> socio-economic impacts should be modified. The<br />

analysis suffers from:<br />

* failure to treat the socio-economic and institutional impacts <strong>of</strong> a stable nuclear<br />

economy;<br />

* sensitivity <strong>of</strong> estimates <strong>of</strong> effected to choice <strong>of</strong> reference site;<br />

* inappropriate application <strong>of</strong> the analysis across various disposal options;<br />

* overly simplistic indicators for assessing complex social and economic impacts;<br />

* incomplete analysis <strong>of</strong> impacts associated with repository decommissioning; and<br />

* superficial discussion <strong>of</strong> equity issues and possibilities <strong>of</strong> their resolution.<br />

(219)<br />

Response<br />

DOE would suggest that there is a need to strike a balance between what is useful to<br />

the reader in a generic analysis versus the more complete analysis that might be required in

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