Participating in the search for a repository site at an early stage

The federal company for radioactive waste disposal (BGE mbH) presented an initial status report on its work when it published the sub-areas interim report on 28 September 2020. It created transparency about the initial fundamental principles for conducting the search for a repository site and therefore met an important requirement for making the site selection procedure comprehensible. Any decision about which sites should be further investigated will take place at a later stage after other participation opportunities.

All interested parties were able to become involved in the sub-areas conference with their questions, information and criticism. Those attending had to decide about the work and organisation of the sub-areas conference meetings. The goal was to enable an in-depth understanding about how the implementer is working and how it arrived at its results.

The sub-areas conference - a participation format without a set pattern

The sub-areas conference was geared towards the general public, representatives of local communities in the sub-areas, representatives of social organisations and scientists, according to Section 9 of the Site Selection Act. The early timing, the open composition and the independent way of working made the conference a special participation format, for which there had been no pattern in previous participation procedures. The conference not only provided a format to discuss the interim report on sub-areas, but also established some experience and knowledge among all those involved, well before regional interests become important at a later stage in the search for a repository site.

BASE organised an opening meeting when BGE mbH presented its results in order to establish an initial information base regardless of any previous knowledge.

The sub-areas conference works independently

The sub-areas conference discussed the interim report on three discussion dates. The conference participants managed the organisation, focus and main topics at these meetings. A working group had been set up for this purpose during the opening meeting at the request of the conference participants. It had the task of preparing the all three discussion meetings between February and August 2021. The working group had also drawn up a suggestion for rules of procedure at the conference.

The conference forwarded the results of its discussions to BGE mbH. The company must accommodate these results in its ongoing work.

The conference had been chaired by IKU – the dialogue organiser.