P-05-785 Suspend Marine Licence 12/45/ML to dump radioactive marine sediments from the Hinkley Point nuclear site into Wales coastal waters off Cardiff – Correspondence from the Petitioner to the Committee, 29.01.18

Dear Hannah and Colleagues:

thank you for your most recent contact forwarding transcripts etc: I am, as always, most grateful for your assistance and support.

Re the most recent ruling/announcement by the Petitions Committee : ie.....

“The Committee considered the evidence received in previous sessions and agreed to write to Natural Resources Wales to:

• suggest that NRW should request that further samples are taken at depth, in order to assist with public reassurance in relation to this licence; ensure that the results of all analysis carried out on the sediment are made publically available;
• recommend that details of all radionuclides tested for should be made clear in relation to any further testing, in light of previous confusion over the details of the radiological assessment conducted on the material; and
• to ask for further details of any sampling or monitoring carried out within the wider Severn Estuary and studies relating to how the sediments would be likely to be dispersed following dumping at the Cardiff Grounds site.”

In the context of the Committee's announcement, the Stop the Dump Campaign now formally requests the

*   notification and copy of any NRW response to the Petition Committee's request:

*   That the Petition's Committee request that any proposal from NRW (for a proposed fourth Radiological Survey or other research) be opened to a wider "Scoping" process than previous surveys, offering the opportunity for  technical "consultation"  input from organisations/groups/stakeholders NOT associated with the nuclear developers and pro nuclear governments and their agencies.                          This in the context that the three previous [2009, 2013 and 2017] Radiological surveys have used the same methodology for each survey (and that that methodology has already been identified as inadequate by the Campaign and it's supporters).

*   Should the Petition's Committee be willing to support such a wider "Scoping" process, the Campaign will wish to submit a Scoping Briefing/Report identifying a range of weaknesses in the methodologies used to date and offering advice/input on improved methodology  to be used in future studies.           (eg: longer "counting" times, greater clarity on the identification of ALL radionuclides present in sediments, identification and clarification of ALL necessary baseline data including current levels of radio nuclides in south Wales coastal/estuarine sediments, current doses of man made radioactivity to south Wales inshore waters users & south Wales coastal zone dwellers.... and other issues discussed during relevant Petitions Committee meetings)

N.B: The Committee's support on this issue will go a long way towards allaying issues about "transparency" which have been discussed in previous Committee sessions

*     Noting the  range of "Baseline Data" issues which have been raised during previous sessions of the Committee, the Campaign also formally requests that the Senedd Petitions Committee advise the NRW that any future reporting should cover not only the Radiological surveying of the sediments to be dumped but also the range of other baseline data issues referenced above.

*    The Campaign also requests the opportunity to respond (in writing and in person) to any future Reports issued, or commissioned by, the NRW in respect of the the issues discussed above.

*   The Campaign will be most grateful if you could ensure that the Chair of the Senedd Petitions Committee has sight of this request and is enabled to act upon our requests.

With many thanks again for your assistance

from

Tim Deere-Jones (Marine Radioactivity Research & Consultancy) for "Stop the Dump Campaign"