Chris Huhne minister in charge of DECC visited Somerset today (Monday 24th January) He visited Hinkley Point the Site of EdF's planned G3 reactors and Bridgwater college where they are building a nuclear skills facility to put a bit of political spin on the close of the governments reconsultation on it's National Policy Statements. Campaigners attempted to meet him to demand action on enriched Uranium
Campaigners outside the nuclear skills building site
Chris Huhne, Secretary Of State for the Department of Environmental Calamities and Catastrophes visited Hinkley Point today and also Bridgwater College who are currently destroying a green field to make way for a 'nuclear skills' facility.
The minister was interviewed by selected members of the press where he announced the apparent success of their reconsultation on the National Policy Statements, a classic case of the spin being a far cry from the reality. If the consultation was such a success then why was this ministerial visit such a hushed up affair? Could it have anything to do with the fact that there is a scandal breaking locally about the possibility that the land earmarked for development at Hinkley is already contaminated with Enriched Uranium? There was no mention of Huhne's visit locally, but a group of campaigners did find out about it and turned up at the college in the hope of talking about their concern that local authorities are failing to act, despite having a legal obligation to do so, but Mr Huhne had already scarpered.
Under the Environment Act 1995 local authorities have a duty to investigate any reasonable concern about contamination, the data that points to the contamination has been discovered by a local resident Cecily Collingridge, who was examining EDFs application for preliminary works, upon discovering the anomalies she took her findings to radiological expert Dr Chris Busby of Green Audit who confirmed her concerns, Dr Busby and Ms Collingridge have filed an FOI request with EdF about data that is apparently missing from the application. Ms Collingridge delivered a copy of their joint report about the contamination to West Somerset District council last week but so far they have failed to act.
The minister was interviewed by selected members of the press where he announced the apparent success of their reconsultation on the National Policy Statements, a classic case of the spin being a far cry from the reality. If the consultation was such a success then why was this ministerial visit such a hushed up affair? Could it have anything to do with the fact that there is a scandal breaking locally about the possibility that the land earmarked for development at Hinkley is already contaminated with Enriched Uranium? There was no mention of Huhne's visit locally, but a group of campaigners did find out about it and turned up at the college in the hope of talking about their concern that local authorities are failing to act, despite having a legal obligation to do so, but Mr Huhne had already scarpered.
Under the Environment Act 1995 local authorities have a duty to investigate any reasonable concern about contamination, the data that points to the contamination has been discovered by a local resident Cecily Collingridge, who was examining EDFs application for preliminary works, upon discovering the anomalies she took her findings to radiological expert Dr Chris Busby of Green Audit who confirmed her concerns, Dr Busby and Ms Collingridge have filed an FOI request with EdF about data that is apparently missing from the application. Ms Collingridge delivered a copy of their joint report about the contamination to West Somerset District council last week but so far they have failed to act.
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