Current developments in the Covid-19 crisis are causing restrictions for all members of the public, both in their private and professional lives. At the same time, it is quite natural that BASE, the federal authority, will continue to fully exercise its responsibility for state tasks to ensure that people are safe during the disposal of nuclear waste, even in special challenging circumstances.

The key issue here is to ensure that the federal authority is capable of acting, even if circumstances change. New scenarios need to be considered allowing for the protection of public health for issues like the search for a disposal site for high-level radioactive waste, where transparency and public participation are required.

The current state of the search for a disposal site

The new procedure for searching for a disposal site has been in place since 2017. This envisages extensive opportunities for public involvement. Bundesgesellschaft für Endlagerung (BGE mbH or the Federal Company for Radioactive Waste Disposal) is currently preparing its first interim report. It will name regions in Germany, which the company believes should be excluded from the search because of their fundamental lack of suitability. It says it will publish its report in the autumn of 2020. Its publication marks the first formal phase of public participation.

“The company has recently confirmed to me that the interim report, which is viewed as the initial component for public discussions in the Site Selection Act, will be completed by the end of the third quarter, as announced. The federal authority exercising supervision is not aware that the report will not be prepared in line with the requirements of the law either,” says Lisa Ahlers, the press spokesperson at BASE. “It’s therefore in the interests of all and fulfils the statutory provisions that the results provided by the company are transparent and are made available for discussion.” BASE has to convene a Select Areas Conference after it receives the interim report, according to Section 9 Paragraph 1 of the Site Selection Act.

Considering current developments for public participation

The restrictions that currently apply in public life are also affecting the process of public participation. “All those involved naturally already realise that the forms of public participation must comply with what’s necessary to protect people’s health,” Ahlers emphasises. BASE is therefore constantly observing the current situation, sharing ideas with the other key players in the search for the disposal site and discussing alternative forms for the Select Areas Conference.

Regardless of the current Covid-19 situation, digital forms of participation will play a central role in involving the general public. This also applies to preparing the Select Areas Conference, which is required by the law, in order to allow as many interested parties to participate as possible. This aspect is becoming increasingly important due to current developments.

BASE already offered a live stream facility for the Status Conference in November 2019, for example, and written concepts about BASE’s work have been made available for debate in digital form in previous years. This experience will directly flow into the ideas for the Select Areas Conference.