Participation of citizens
The plan-approval procedure
According to nuclear law, a plan-approval procedure has to be carried out for the decommissioning of the Asse mine. At the end of this procedure a plan-approval decision is made. This decision must approve the concrete measures (and thus the selected decommissioning option) required for the safe decommissioning.
Conduct of the plan-approval procedure
The Lower Saxon Environment Ministry (NMU) as the licensing authority examines in the plan-approval procedure whether the plan for the closure of the repository complies with all safety requirements. At the same time, the general public is given the possibility to read up on the issue and to articulate concerns or make suggestions in the licensing procedure.
Objections raised in time by the citizens affected by the decommissioning and the statements of the involved authorities are jointly discussed in a public hearing. Subsequently, the Lower Saxony Environment Ministry decides about the approval of the plan.
Preparatory licensing procedure for the handling of radioactive material
The plan-approval procedure solely regulates the final decommissioning. The necessary handling of radioactive material according to § 7 Radiation Protection Ordinance (StrlSchV) or, respectively, the handling of nuclear fuels according to § 9 Atomic Energy Act (AtG) is examined and approved in the preparatory licensing procedure.
The concrete works for the fact-finding are not part of the plan-approval procedure. The necessary handling of the waste stored in the Asse mine would also be examined and approved in the preparatory licensing procedure, should the retrieval of the waste prove to be feasible and radiologically justifiable in the course of the fact-finding.