The following letter is in this weeks Whitehaven News
Dear Editor
While our view at Lakes Against Nuclear Dump (a Radiation Free Lakeland campaign) is that there should be a complete halt to the plan for one or more deep nuclear dumps, we are glad to hear that the Copeland Working Group have confirmed exclusion of the National Park and the proposed extension to the Lake District.
However, Copeland Working Group continue to state that the "search area does include the off-shore area. That goes up to 2.2 kilometers out to sea.” No-one in their right mind would consider putting high level nuclear wastes even in the vicinity of undersea coal deposits.
The Copeland Working Group is being advised by Radioactive Waste Management who are in turn advised by the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management, of which the CEO of West Cumbria Mining, Mark Kirkbride, is a key member tasked with “Delivery” of a deep nuclear dump.
We have repeatedly asked the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM) to confirm that the business interests of one of their key members will not be used in any way shape or form to facilitate a deep nuclear dump. CoRWM have refused to answer the following questions:
1. Will CoRWM make a public statement that West Cumbria Mining's existing 8000m of borehole core samples (obtained during 'exploration' for coal under the Irish Sea bed) and any future borehole core samples HAVE NOT BEEN / WILL NOT BE USED for rock characterisation under the Irish Sea bed to facilitate a GDF ?
2. Will CoRWM make a public statement confirming that WCM and any national or international existing or newly formed companies associated with Mark KIrkbride/WCM will be blocked from tendering for Delivery of a GDF.
3. Will CoRWM make a public statement confirming that Tunnels, Drifts and the Void left by WCM's coal mining activity under the Irish Sea in the vicinity of the 'possible' GDF will not be used in any way at all (including use of the voids for GDF rock spoil) to Deliver a GDF?
Will Copeland Working Group do what their advisors at CoRWM have refused to do and exclude the area being promoted as a deep coking coal mine ? Without this exclusion of the use of any part of the coal mine, including drift tunnels and borehole research we must assume that the coal mine is a pragmatic means to embed the infrastructure for a deep nuclear dump. A frighteningly surreal twist is that Dr Chris Browitt former head of the British Geological Survey has said of the deep coal mine just five miles from Sellafield that it, “is likely to induce seismicity.” Maybe there will be no need for a deep nuclear dump to contain planetary destroying high level nuclear wastes if the earthquake inducing business interests of a key member of CoRWM are given the go ahead?
Our petition for a halt to the deep nuclear dump plans the CEO of the coal mine is tasked with 'Delivery" of can be signed here: https://www.lakesagainstnucleardump.com/petition
Yours sincerely
Marianne Birkby
Lakes Against Nuclear Dump - a Radiation Free Lakeland campaign
Image above indicates Radioactive Waste Management/Copeland Working Group Area - 2021- Area of Coal Reserves is NOT EXCLUDED
Prior to RWM was Managing Radioactive Wastes Safely/Copeland&Allerdale Partnership this process ended in 2013 with Cumbria County Council's vote Not to Proceed with Steps Towards Geological Disposal.
Note the Area of Coal Reserves WAS EXCLUDED !
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