Communication and information in France's underground laboratory siting process: clarity of procedure, ambivalence of effects

France is engaged in an innovative research programme for the management of high level radioactive wastes. The programme is framed by a national law (Waste Act of 30 December 1991) that seeks to guarantee 'permanent democratic control' of an open process. At least two underground laboratories are required by this Act in order to test the feasibility of a permanent deep repository. This study, performed in 1996--97, centres on the candidate evaluation phase of laboratory site search. Public information and communication practices by the national radioactive waste management agency, Andra, are examined. Agency information efforts appear to fit well with a strategy of insertion into the local context, including methods to rally potential allies inlocal officials. The study also examines the activities of local information commissions (LICs) created by law on each of three candidate sites, and reviews arguments by opponents to the RhÔne Valley site proposal. The LICs are judged highly institutionalized, thereby missing an opportunity to foster a true public forum and solution-seeking debate. Opponents' discourse is seen to centre on the danger of regional stigmatization, with concern for mid-term economic losses. The communication process overall is characterized by institutional attempts to channel and contain controversy. Counter plays by other stakeholders illustrate the broad spectrum of risk definitions associated today with radioactive waste.