• Submission of the plant authorisation The effluent discharge and water intake licence application covers all such operations for which authorisation is required. It is sent to the ministers in charge of nuclear safety. In addition to various drawings, maps and information, it comprises a description of the operations or activities envisaged and an assessment of their impact on human health and on the environment, comprising a list of proposed compensatory measures and the intended surveillance provisions. • Recommendations of the ministers concerned After asking the operator for additional data or for modifications to the documents, whenever necessary, the application is sent for their opinion to the ministers for Health (Directorate General for Health) and Civil Security (Nuclear Risk management support delegation - MARN). • Consultation of the public and local authorities and organisations The ministers in charge of nuclear safety transmit the application and the recommendations of the ministers to the Prefect of the department concerned, for his opinion. The Prefect organises an administrative conference between various regional offices which he feels should be consulted and subjects the application to a public inquiry under conditions similar to those described in point 2.1.3 above for authorisation decrees. However, in the present procedure, the inquiry is opened in the commune where the operations in question are to be carried out and also in other communes where the impact of these operations would probably be felt. Furthermore, the Prefect consults the town councils concerned and, if necessary, the person with responsibility for managing the public domain and the departmental health council, as well as the local river authority (Mission déléguée de bassin) if necessary. He also sends the application file, for information, to the local water commission. The Prefect then transmits the results of the administrative conference, consultations and inquiry, with his recommendation, to the ministers in charge of nuclear safety. In application of article 37 of the Treaty instituting the European Atomic Energy Community, known as "Euratom", France provides the European Commission with general data about any plans for discharge of radioactive effluent, so that it can be determined whether implementation of this project is likely to lead to radioactive contamination of the water, soil or airspace of another Member State. This transmission is required for any new project or any project leading to a rise in radioactive discharges and takes place at least six months before the licence is granted. France is bound by the opinion issued by the European Commission. • Interministerial authorisation Authorisation is granted by a joint order signed by the ministers for Health, Industry and the Environment. Within the framework of general technical rules defined by an order
of the ministers for Industry, the Environment and Health of 26 November
1999, which has been further clarified by a circular sent out to the
prefects, signed by the same ministers on 17 January 2002 (see below
in point 2.2.1) this document stipulates: At the request of the licensee or on their own initiative, the ministers for Health, Industry and the Environment may, after consultation with the health council for the concerned department, use a ministerial order to modify the conditions provided for in the authorisation order. Finally, any modification made by the operator to the installation or its operating procedures, such as to have consequences on effluent discharges or water intake, must be notified beforehand to the ministers in charge of nuclear safety, who consult the Minister for Health. If it is then considered that the modification could cause environmental hazards or difficulties, the operator may be required to submit a new licence application. |
