THE Environment Agency is asking people living in the Forest of Dean to comment on applications by British Nuclear Fuel plc (BNFL) to discharge radioactive waste from the Oldbury and Berkeley nuclear power stations and the Berkeley Centre.
A public meeting and surgery is to be held at Lydney Town Hall on Wednesday July 12 2000. The forum is part of a three month long consultation process as the Environment Agency considers BNFL's application.
One local meeting to discuss the issue has already been held at Oldbury and the Environment Agency is now holding this further meeting at Lydney to allow those on the other side of the Severn to contribute to the debate.
The public consultation is being carried out to enable people to draw the Agency's attention to any matters they would wish to see considered as the Agency determines the application.
A surgery between 2pm and 6pm will be held to give people the chance to speak to the Agency staff involved in making decisions on BNFL's applications.
The formal public meeting will start at 7.30 pm and will include presentations from the Environment Agency before opening up the floor for public debate.
The power stations at Oldbury and Berkeley and the Berkeley Centre are operated by Magnox Electric plc, a wholly-owned subsidiary of BNFL.
"We are keen to hear the views of local people on BNFL's applications and any issues they think the Agency should be considering," said Steve Chandler for the Environment Agency.
"The Agency has developed a draft authorisation for each site but no decisions will be made until we have carefully considered all the responses to the consultation."
The Agency has produced an explanatory consultation document to help people understand the application process and the issues surrounding each site. Each document is around 300 pages long and contains detailed technical information on the site under review and a copy of the Agency's draft authorisation for that site. In addition, easy-to-read, three page summary documents have been produced for each site.
Copies of these documents are available at local public libraries within the county of the station and main libraries in counties within a 25-mile radius of the station.