Tuesday 3 January 2012

Resist the Renaissance - Register with the IPC to object to Hinkley C!



GUIDANCE NOTES for your representation against Hinkley C on the IPC registration form.

  • If you decide to register to object on-line be very very careful you only get one shot at it - once you have entered your details i,e name address if anything goes wrong while you are filling out the form and you've only entered part of your information that is what they will keep you will not be allowed to amend it.


We therefore strongly urging people to call the IPC helpline on 0303 444 5000 to ask them to send you a hard copy that you can return by post. (they will only issue one per caller)
  • If you really must submit on-line then please pre-prepare your response then cut and paste it into the on-line form, this should reduce the possibility of computer or other problems affecting your submission by limiting the time it actually takes you to fill the form getting a hard copy of the form also allows you to see the form before having to fill it in (an opportunity you won't have if filling it in on-line)
Please read the attached notes before you register

  • If completing on-line, after you fill in your personal details there is a section called "Your representation" there is a word limit of a maximum of 500 words

  • please include links to further information/evidence to back up your objection. (you can provide further written evidence later in order to expand your inititally very limited contribution.


It's important you cover these points focusing on the local impact.

Construction Traffic

Contamination of land

Land Status

Jobs

Health

Power Lines

Safety

Democracy



"Those who register will be entitled to provide evidence in writing to support their representation, to attend the preliminary hearing, to request an open floor hearing and to speak at other hearings where appropriate."

(IPC Guidance)



For those of us concerned with nuclear power this process has been entirely rigged to try and suppress dissent against the nuclear industry and the governments policy with regards to nuclear technology. The IPC guidance notes say:
"Your representation should not concern the merits of designated National Policy Statements produced by Government which provide the framework for our decisions. Your representation should focus upon the impact of a proposal, or the issue or information to which you wish to draw the Commissioner(s) attention."



In July 2011 West Somerset District Council held their planning hearing for EDF's submission to carry out preliminary works on the site at Hinkley Point, the rules were similar here with discussion about nuclear power excluded by those in power and their planning processes, members of Stop Hinkley dutifully kept their concerns to all things non-nuclear. What happened at this meeting? Just about every person speaking in favour of the preliminary works talked about why we needed nuclear Power! Even Hergen Hayes the Head of the Office for Nuclear Development part of the so-called Department of Energy and climate change was brought in to tell the meeting about why Fukushima isn't a problem for the Governments Nuclear Policy.


Given this experience we would therefore encourage people opposed to nuclear power in addition to the above, to give serious consideration to including a sentence or two about why the worlds worst nuclear industrial catastrophe which is still not under any kind of control has implications for the Governments policy, and that we feel that the events in Japan should lead to a proper review of government energy policy and a public referendum on nuclear power.




The IPC's own guidance for registering can be found here at:

The on-line form can be viewed (and filled out) here:

please consider the advice above before filling out the form on-line.


The following are some ideas for objection based on some of our members objections


Your objection needs to be limited to 500 words.(NB this document slightly exceeds 500 words.)
Add evidence links.
If you have time please use your own words, it will show a stronger and more determined opposition. Keep them busy!


1. Construction Traffic (important as very controversial locally)
- Traffic Vehicle movement in Cannington every 40 seconds during an 11 hour working day, purely for Hinkley Point C construction, in addition to normal Hinkley, and other, local traffic.
- Villagers saying consultation on traffic was not done properly by EDF.
- Damage to Houses by vibration of traffic not taken into consideration by EDF.
- 93% of Cannington villagers do not want the EDF traffic through their village.
- These are unbearable living conditions for villagers as Hinkley C is scheduled for a minimum of ten years construction. Plus overwhelming traffic pollution
- Villagers are against compulsory purchase of their homes and worry about the devaluation of their property..
-should there be a nuclear accident at Hinkley Point traffic congestion would hamper evacuation process.

2.Contamination of land

-EDF's commissioned AMEC to take samples and make measurements of radioactivity at various locations on the proposed site for HinkleyC. Green Audit independently examined the data to see if there were any radiological safety issues. There is evidence of enriched Uranium pollution on the land. (!)
http://www.stophinkley.org/Health/HinkContamJan2010.pdf
3. Land Status
-designated as a Special Protection Area (SPA)
- a Site of Community Importance (SCI)
- the estuary is also designated as a wetland of international importance
- a Site of Special Scientific Interest.SSSIs (e.g. the Gwent Levels SSSI complex)
- Irreplaceable ancient woodland and hedges.
-New nuclear build would require spent fuel (too hot to move) to be stored on site for 160 years. This would be dangerous at Hinkley due to the limestone geology of the site and in case of an accident at the plant.


4.Health

-Low level radiation is emitted by nuclear power stations this has been proved to be dangerous to young children.
-Regular controlled and uncontrolled venting of radioactive particles will put the local population at risk. In 2008, the KiKK study in Germany reported a 1.6-fold increase in cancers and a 2.2-fold increase in leukemias among children living within 5 km of all German nuclear power stations. Cancer rates in Burnham on Sea are up to five times higher than the national average. Hinkley C will add to the dangers to public health.
http://www.llrc.org/health/subtopic/pearson.htm
http://www.nuclearpolicy.info/docs/news/NFLA_PR_COMARE14_critique.pdf
Highly radioactive waste stored on site for 160 years will increase health risks.


5. Local Jobs
-EDF says several thousand people will be employed constructing Hinkley C. The Flamanville scenario show EDF use subcontractors to import foreign workers vulnerable to exploitation and are being accused by French Unions of modern day slavery.
-
http://www.socialdemocrats.eu/gpes/public/detail.htm?id=135913&section=NER&category=NEWS&startpos=21&topicid=-1&request_locale=EN
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mx6pcqdOa7Y

6. Democracy

-EDF consultations not widely publicised.
-There has been no proper national debate and the government and the industry have colluded to stop information coming out over the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jun/30/british-government-plan-play-down-fukushima
-The sustainable development committee advised the government against nuclear.
Expecting opposition the government introduced a fast track infrastructure planning programme (the IPC)
-Stop Hinkley have collected 12,750 against HinkleyC.
-Road signs of Hinkley C are up already giving the impression of a done deal weakening local opposition. The local council salami slicing the application gives the same impression
- The whole application is based on the lie that Nuclear is a green technology and will save us from Climate Change. (Hinkley Point is on the coast of the second biggest tidal wave in the world, climate change makes coastal areas vulnerable to flood risk )


7. Power lines

-new pylons are twice the size of the existing ones ( height and width )


8. How local is locality?

-Bristol City council , Exeter and South Wales have had no input on the decision making on new nuclear. Accidents at Hinkley Point would make these areas uninhabitable and emergency services not able to cope.
-This national infrastructure project hasn't had national input though it will have consequences lasting an outeageous number of generations.

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