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Russian public discusses decommissioning plans for nuclear-powered ships
A first series of public consultations to discuss the environmental,
health-related and social impacts of a master plan for the decommissioning of
121 nuclear-powered submarines and ships in northwest Russia has been held in
Moscow, Murmansk and Severodvinsk with the support of the Russian authorities.
The meetings were attended by representatives of local communities and NGOs
who discussed various aspects of the programme with international experts and
local and government officials.
The meetings were part of the effort to involve the general public in the
discussions of an environmental assessment which complements the master plan
for decommissioning nuclear-powered submarines which have been withdrawn from
active service, nuclear-powered surface ships, technical support vessels and
land-based nuclear fuel and radioactive waste storage facilities in northwest
Russia.
Findings from these first public consultations reinforced the assessments and
priorities of the master plan and environmental assessment. The draft
report is now available for comments. A final version incorporating public
comments will be published after a public consultation period of four months
ending in September.
The master plan has been financed from the nuclear window of the Northern
Dimension Environmental Partnership. The international community has so far
committed €150 million to the EBRD-managed NDEP Support Fund.
The fund was established in 2002 by the EBRD to pool grant contributions for
the improvement of the environment in northwest Russia. Contributors are the
EU and 11 countries: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany,
Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United Kingdom. The nuclear window
complements Russian and bilaterally funded programmes to mitigate the legacy
of the operation of the Northern fleet in Russia.
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