Graduation Date
Spring 2025
Document Type
Thesis
Program
Master of Science degree with a major in Natural Resources: option Environmental Science and Management
Committee Chair Name
Jennifer Marlow
Committee Chair Affiliation
Cal Poly Humboldt Faculty or Staff
Second Committee Member Name
Laurie Richmond
Second Committee Member Affiliation
Cal Poly Humboldt Faculty or Staff
Third Committee Member Name
Jenna Tilt
Third Committee Member Affiliation
Community Member or Outside Professional
Keywords
Spent nuclear fuel, Nuclear waste, Site screening, Geographic information systems, Nuclear waste management, Multiple-criteria decision-making, Analytic hierarchy process, Social capacity, Climate and coastal hazards, Adaptive capacity
Subject Categories
Natural Resources
Abstract
Spent nuclear fuel, also known as nuclear waste, is the byproduct of nuclear power generation. The need for safe and responsible long-term storage and disposal of radioactive fuel presents significant technical and social challenges. These challenges are compounded by several factors, including the emerging nuclear renaissance in the United States, climate and coastal hazards, and the lack of consolidated interim or permanent storage. This research explores perceptions of risk, relocation, and siting spent nuclear fuel, predominantly focusing on Humboldt County, California. I used online surveys, the Analytic Hierarchy Process, and geographic information systems (GIS) analysis to inform how social and community-focused criteria may influence spent nuclear fuel relocation site screening decisions when integrated with physical, environmental, and infrastructural criteria. I found that the methods I used did not fully capture the intricacies necessary for the topic of spent nuclear fuel site screening. Results also showed that criteria such as safety, site risk, community consent, and environmental justice should be high-level considerations for spent nuclear fuel siting.
Citation Style
APA
Recommended Citation
Sorfleet, Julie M., "An exploratory attempt to incorporate social criteria into spent nuclear fuel site screening and relocation" (2025). Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects. 2276.
https://digitalcommons.humboldt.edu/etd/2276
Appendix A: Legislation and Executive Orders
AppendixB_InitialSurveyIRB.pdf (150 kB)
Appendix B: Initial Survey IRB
AppendixC_InitialSurvey.pdf (761 kB)
Appendix C: Initial Survey
AppendixD_RScriptForAHPCalculations.R (5 kB)
Appendix D: R Script for AHP Calculations
AppendixE_Spatial Representation and Data ProcessingOfTheSixSocialCriteria .pdf (487 kB)
Appendix E: Spatial Representation and Data Processing of the Six Social Criteria
AppendixF_FollowUpSurveyIRB.pdf (234 kB)
Appendix F: Follow-Up Survey IRB
AppendixG_FollowUpSurvey.pdf (3761 kB)
Appendix G: Follow-Up Survey
AppendixH_MannWhitneyUTestResults.pdf (85 kB)
Appendix H: Mann-Whitney U Test Results
AppendixI_ComparisonQuestionsRawData.xlsx (26 kB)