The National Radioactive Waste Coalition
Mission Statement
The National Radioactive Waste Coalition will carry out a strategic plan to permanently block the Yucca Mountain Repository, stop consolidated interim storage, store high-level wastes as close as possible to their sites of generation in “hardened” safe-as-possible storage, and reduce the inherent dangers of high-level wastes at decommissioned nuclear plants and other sites.
Statement Of Purpose
The National Radioactive Waste Coalition is committed to stopping the production and reprocessing of radioactive waste.
We believe the isolation of radioactive waste is critical for protecting all living things, from the tiniest organisms in the soil and water to all humans living on our planet and are committed to working to ensure that this isolation is accomplished. Radioactive waste must be maintained as close to where it was generated as possible and input from the local host community must be considered in regard to how the waste is stored. The transport of radioactive waste to an interim storage location or to Yucca Mountain is not acceptable.
Our work is grounded in respect for all people and we commit to rejecting oppressive solutions or actions and to preventing the creation of sacrifice zones. We will fight to ensure that environmental racism is not used to decide where waste is stored and will work together to ensure that the recognized lands of indigenous people and tribes, especially sacred areas, are not used to store radioactive waste.
We will engage diverse people in the work of the campaign and find possible long-term solutions for waste storage. We will build solidarity through strong collaboration and by honoring the needs of local communities. We are committed to sharing skills and knowledge across organizations, age ranges and communities, so that all skills and knowledge are respected and integrated throughout our movement.
We will work to see that institutional memory, the lived experience, is passed on between people as a regular activity and are committed to non-violence and the equitable distribution of resources. Fundraising responsibilities will be shared and the results used throughout the movement to ensure that all communities can participate in our work together.
The nuclear generation of electricity is not carbon free. It is expensive, slow to install and creates the waste we are working to stop. It is not the answer to a carbon free future.
Working together we will hold the nuclear industry as well as government officials and agencies accountable for their actions. We will also hold them accountable for enforcing our laws and for honoring treaties to keep us all as safe as possible.
Principles We Are Committed to as a Movement:
These principles will guide our work together, inform our decision-making, and help us to hold ourselves and each other accountable in the campaign.
- We are committed to stopping the production and reprocessing of radioactive waste.
- We believe the isolation of radioactive waste is critical for protecting all living things, from the tiniest organisms in the soil and water to all the humans living on our planet, and we are committed to working to ensure this isolation is accomplished.
- We are committed to preventing the unnecessary movement of radioactive waste. We commit to stopping the transport of radioactive waste for storage at any interim storage location or Yucca Mountain AND working to make the waste as safe as possible at or nearby the sites where it is now. The local community should have input into how the waste is stored at these sites.
- Our work will be grounded in respect for all people, and we commit to rejecting oppressive solutions or actions and preventing the creation of sacrifice zones. We will fight to ensure that environmental racism is not used to decide where waste should be stored
- We will engage diverse people in both the work of the campaign and the process to find possible long-term solutions for waste storage and isolation.
- We will build solidarity through strong collaboration and honoring the needs of local communities.
- We are committed to sharing skills and knowledge across organizations, age ranges and communities, so that all skill and knowledge is respected and integrated throughout our movement, and institutional and lived experience knowledge is passed between people as a regular activity.
- We are committed to non-violence as a movement.
- We are committed to the equitable distribution of resources to do our work together. We will share fundraising responsibilities and we will share funding throughout the movement to ensure that all communities can participate in our work together.
- We will work together to ensure that the recognized lands of indigenous people and tribes, and especially sacred areas are not storage locations for radioactive waste.
- We will work together to hold the nuclear industry and government officials and offices accountable for their actions, for enforcing our laws, and for honoring treaties – and for keeping us all as safe as possible.
The Coalition is also discussing the ‘Principles for Safe Management and Geological Isolation of Irradiated Nuclear Fuel,’ which can be found in Appendix V.B and online HERE
The subcommittees working on the National Coordinating Committee proposal and on Indigenous Peoples’ Laws & Treaties have also proposed that the campaign commit to the Jemez Principles for Democratic Organizing that is included in Appendix VII.B. and online HERE