A-Infos (en) France, OCL CA #359 - BURE: News from the Struggle (ca, de, fr, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]

Some news from the struggle of those opposing CIGEO, the industrial 
center for the geological storage of radioactive waste in Bure. ---- We 
reported on the demonstration in Bure in Courant Alternatif issue #354. 
Since then, ANDRA has made progress, and the fight continues. ---- An 
endless September at the old Luméville train station. ---- When 
opponents of the CIGEO project bought the old Luméville train station, 
it was because one day this land would be a thorn in ANDRA's side, and 
they would try to evict them. Now, ANDRA is trying to reclaim the land 
to build tracks and transport radioactive waste. For a whole month, 
about a hundred people lived in the station to prepare the defense of 
the site, hold strategic discussions, and meet with one another. A 
vibrant mix of people, both regulars and newcomers, have taken over the 
space and fostered a collective life from their shared daily routines. 
But September seems endless, and it was on September 41st (also known as 
October 11th) that the occupation became... illegal!

Even though the police don't yet have the authority to evict the station 
(as of the date of this writing), it has belonged to ANDRA since October 
11, 2025, as they paid EUR40,000 in expropriation compensation to the 
real estate company that owns the station. This hasn't stopped the 
protesters from occupying the site and organizing there to prevent the 
loss of this emblematic location of the struggle, which is essential to 
the CIGEO project. It's worth remembering that the station is still not 
legally evictable until a judge issues an eviction order. The first 
court date was set for November 5, 2025, during which opponents 
organized a support rally in front of the courthouse, resulting in a 
postponement. Another hearing was held on February 11, 2026, in 
Bar-le-Duc. The verdict will be delivered on March 23. We will then know 
whether the judge transfers the case to the Administrative Court of 
Nancy. To be continued!

To support the occupation, there is still time to come to the train 
station, which remains threatened with illegal or rerouted eviction.
Whatever the decision on March 23, Andra will file an appeal if it loses 
(which will buy us even more time). If it wins, the opponents of Cigéo 
will appeal, but this will not suspend an eviction order.

ANDRA's Work
Following the massive 12,000-page regulatory file known as "DR0," ANDRA 
has obtained authorization to carry out numerous drilling operations, 
archaeological excavations, and geotechnical studies. These operations 
aim, in particular, to obtain geological and geotechnical data on the 
soil and subsoil of Bure, notably through large-scale drilling 
campaigns, as well as the construction of a gendarmerie barracks.

Building permit signs are proliferating around the laboratory, and 
measuring equipment is currently operating in the Ornain Valley. The 
Lejuc woods, which were occupied by opponents between 2016 and 2018, are 
not spared from the work. The opponents have published an interactive 
map of this work on bureburebure.info in order to monitor and take 
collective action against ANDRA's harmful actions: let's not allow the 
nuclear establishment to advance unopposed!

The DAC, Authorization for Creation
Despite a deficient and incomplete factual file, this did not prevent 
ANDRA from simultaneously submitting its application for authorization 
to create the DAC.

The public inquiry on the DAC was supposed to take place in the fall, 
but a small notice in the Journal de la Haute Marne on February 13, 
2026, revealed that this public inquiry, "which was supposed to be 
implemented in the summer," would now take place in May/June. The 
prefect has filed a request to this effect with the Administrative Court 
of Nancy. The Prime Minister reportedly announced last week that the 
timeline would be tightened. Even the OPECST (Parliamentary Office for 
Scientific and Technological Assessment) says the deadlines are 
untenable. Note the appointment of Maxime Amblard, RN deputy for Meuse, 
as rapporteur for the OPECST on the evaluation of the application for 
authorization to create Cigeo. Amblard's profile is riddled with 
conflicts of interest: he is still employed by Framatome, to whom he 
must remain loyal; he is a fanatical pro-nuclear advocate; and he is an 
RN deputy for Meuse (Bure constituency), so it is obvious that he risks 
being subjected to or exerting pressure...

It should also be noted that following the elections this March, the 
municipalities will barely be in place. During the consultation with 
local authorities on the DAC (Declaration of Completion of Works), many 
elected officials reported the pressure they faced to issue favorable 
opinions, the systematic blackmail (no favorable opinion, no 
preferential tax treatment), and the systematic presence of Andra 
(National Radioactive Waste Management Agency) on deliberation days.

ANDRA is simultaneously preparing other regulatory files to continue 
work in the area, notably the clearing of the Bois Lejuc forest, work 
which will also be subject to public inquiry in late 2026/early 2027. In 
short, a massive democratic farce in which no one understands: 
information is diluted, local authorities can't keep up, and the public 
even less so.

Anne-Marie, March 16, 2026

Note: Since this article was written, the court has ordered the eviction 
from the station.

For more information on upcoming programs, please check the following 
websites regularly:
https://bureburebure.info/lettre-di...
https://coordstopcigeo.noblogs.org/
https://cedra52.jimdofree.com

http://oclibertaire.lautre.net/spip.php?article4681
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