Home / Environment / Judge dismisses lawsuit over Sellafield water plan
Judge dismisses lawsuit over Sellafield water plan
2 Apr
Summary
- High court judge rejected legal challenge against Sellafield water extraction plan.
- The plan allows up to 77 million gallons of water to be extracted annually.
- Campaigners feared contaminated water would reach local rivers, but Sellafield denies this.
A legal challenge against a plan to extract water at the UK's largest nuclear site, Sellafield, has been dismissed by a high court judge. Sellafield received permission from the Environment Agency in May of last year to extract water as part of constructing a new radioactive waste storage facility.
Campaigners from Lakes Against Nuclear Dump (LAND) initiated the legal challenge, expressing concerns about potential impacts on nearby rivers. However, the judge ruled there was insufficient evidence to proceed with the case. A Sellafield spokesperson indicated the ruling allows them to focus on safely managing site hazards.
The licence permits Sellafield to extract up to 77,077,224 gallons (350,400 cubic metres) of water per year until 2031. The Environment Agency previously stated that all environmental considerations were thoroughly assessed. LAND has indicated they disagree with the decision and are considering an appeal, arguing that environmental impacts were not adequately evaluated and fearing contamination of the Calder and Ehen rivers.
Sellafield clarified that water removed during site preparation for construction is standard practice. The extracted water will be pumped to on-site storage tanks for testing before being discharged directly to sea, thus not affecting the Calder or Ehen rivers.
