By their very nature, site closure and reuse projects may create uncertainty for surrounding communities and other stakeholders. Accordingly, this uncertainty poses challenges to an owner trying to close a site. Through effective education, outreach and communication processes, CLF Ventures (CLFV) reduces client risk by transforming the uncertainty surrounding a “change condition” into a legitimate and transparent process that results in an objective project endpoint with stakeholder support 
 
CLFV is using this approach to site closure and reuse on two decommissioning nuclear plants in New England.  In central Connecticut, CLFV is developing a property donation plan for the Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Company (CY) plant, while at the Yankee Nuclear Power Station (YNPS) in Rowe, Massachusetts, CLFV is developing the non-radiological site closure process. 
 
CLF Ventures plays an important role at both of these high-profile sites. For these clients, CLF Ventures employ strategic outreach and consensus building skills to successfully navigate through the uncertainty inherent in the site closure process.
 
Connecticut Yankee Nuclear Power Station in Haddam Neck, Connecticut
 
The decommissioning of the Connecticut Yankee Power Station is fully underway. As part of this process, CLF Ventures is assisting CY by exploring the donation of a portion of plant’s property to a government or nonprofit entity for conservation.  The goal is to preserve approximately 400 acres of forests, fields and wetlands and to put in place management systems to protect the many resources on the property. 
 
CLF Ventures is implementing a four-stage process.  The goal of the first stage is to collect information on the property resources. To this end, CLF Ventures has contracted with ecologists, archeologists and aquatic specialists to assess specific resources of the land. In addition, each of these specialists will provide recommendations for the long-term stewardship of these resources. This step reduces risk for our client by providing information about the property. This information will help clarify which entities are interested in accepting this property and will lead to better-informed dialog with these potential donees.
 
During the second phase, CLF Ventures has met with more than 100 individuals and organizations around the region including plant neighbors, environmental organizations, recreational organizations, historical organizations and representatives of local and state government. Through these outreach efforts CLFV has both been able to educate stakeholders about the Land Conservation Project, and gather information critical to a successful transfer. 
 
In the final phases of this project, CLFV will work to implement a public involvement program. An advisory committee will provide recommendations to CY for the conservation and donation of the land. 
 
Yankee Nuclear Power Station at Rowe, Massachusetts


At Yankee Rowe, CLV Ventures’ goal is to develop a single integrated environmental site closure plan that is open, collaborative, and involves all key stakeholders. While the Nuclear Regulatory Commission governs the closure process with regard to radiological issues through its License Termination Plan (LTP), no such template exists for non-radiological closure. CLF Ventures is assisting our client with the non-radiological aspects of site closure by working with regulatory and non-regulatory stakeholders to develop and implement a comprehensive Site Closure Plan.
 
  Implementation of the Site Closure Plan will parallel the owner’s License Termination under NRC jurisdiction.  Key elements of the Site Closure Plan include strategic education and outreach, securing of the necessary regulatory approvals and building stakeholder understanding and support for the overall closure effort.  The Yankee Nuclear Power Station is surrounded by a considerable amount of woodlands with a total of approximately 2,000 acres potentially available for conservation.  While no decision has been made with respect to the forested woodlands that surround the facility, conservation as open space is an option that may be considered.
 
When a project presents uncertainty, stakeholder interests need to be carefully considered and involved in the decision making process.  In the case of both nuclear plant decommmissioning projects, CLF Ventures has been able to successfully serve as a trusted intermediary and align stakeholder interests involved in the decommissioning of these plants and the sites on which they stand.
 
These projects provide just two examples of CLF Ventures approach to facility closure and reuse planning.  The flexible nature of the CLFV strategy allows for application in a wide variety of situations.  CLF Ventures can apply the approach used at Yankee Rowe and CY to future cleanup and reuse projects.