E-M:/ Comment deadline on Canadian nuke waste plans Aug. 31st!!

[Kay Cumbow <kcumbow@greatlakes.net>]

From: Kay Cumbow <kcumbow@greatlakes.net> 

Apologies for double postings!!

Canadians will likely choose a permanent high level nuclear waste dump by
November, 2005. This dump may be sited on or near the Great
Lakes!

U.S. citizens need to speak as stakeholders now.
For more info, visit Sierra Club of Canada:

http://www.sierraclub.ca/ click on
Recent
Postings

- Nuclear Waste Disposal  Also see: 
Nuclear Waste Watch

http://www.cnp.ca/nww/index.php 
You can download a copy of the Draft Study Report on the proposed
burial of irradiated fuel in Canada: "Choosing a Way Forward,"
at the Nuclear Waste Management Organization's website:
www.nwmo.ca


The deadline for comments on this draft study (and perhaps the last
time U.S. residents may be able to comment to the Canadian government) is
Wednesday, August 31, 2005. I would encourage all U.S. or Native
American, First Nation residents/groups that reside in the Great Lakes
area to speak out now. Since the Nuclear Waste Management
Organization, created by the Canadian  legislature, is 
considering at least some sites on the Great Lakes to put Canada's high
level wastes,   they should include other residents of the
Great Lakes In their presentations and hearings. 

 From what I understand there will be as much or more high-level toxic,
lethal wastes placed at this proposed dump than is proposed for Yucca
Mountain. At the very least, we should remind the Canadian government and
the Nuclear Waste Management Organization that we all share
responsibility for the Great Lakes, and that since they are contemplating
areas such as nearby the Bruce site on Lake Huron  - (page 160 of
the Draft Study Report: Choosing a Way Forward has a list of
communities that may be considered for centralized storage) -that we have
the right to be at the table - we all are guardians of the
Lakes.

For those who are writing comments on Canada's high level waste plans: an excellent statement by the Nuclear Waste Watch coalition http://www.cnp.ca/nww/index.php


NUCLEAR WASTE WATCH
A Network of Organizations Concerned about High Level Radioactive Waste and Nuclear Power in Canada

POSITION STATEMENT

Version Française

1. The first priority of responsible waste management is reduction at source. High level radioactive waste in Canada can only be reduced at source through a binding commitment to the early phaseout of nuclear power. Early nuclear phaseout means that there would be no new reactors and no major refurbishment of reactors to prolong their current lifespans.
2. Neither the safety nor the acceptability of deep geological disposal of radioactive waste in perpetuity was established to the satisfaction of the federal environmental assessment panel (the Seaborn Panel) that reviewed the evidence. Any waste management option should, for the foreseeable future, be based on surface and/or near-surface monitored and retrievable storage -- at least until a nuclear power phaseout has been achieved, the technical case for an alternative option (or options) has been thoroughly reviewed, and a social consensus has been achieved.
3. The Seaborn Panel called for the creation of a nuclear fuel waste management agency ?at arm?s length? from the nuclear industry, with its board of directors representative of independent ?key stakeholders?. In direct opposition to this, the government created the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) with its board comprised solely of nuclear industry representatives. The nuclear industry strongly supports deep geological disposal of radioactive waste, so the ability of the NWMO to make an objective recommendation is questionable.
4. Given the importance of this issue to present and future generations of Canadians, the government should guarantee a joint federal/provincial environmental assessment panel on the full range of radioactive waste management options following the NWMO recommendation in November 2005. The process should be adequately funded by the proponents in order to allow public interest intervenors to retain independent technical expertise. The federal government should also guarantee a full parliamentary debate and free vote on the recommendations of the NWMO and the environmental assessment panel.
5. If the Government of Canada decides on any kind of centralized waste management option (whether above or below ground), there will be risk to communities along the transportation route, as well as to the potential recipient community. In such a case, the potential recipient and transport route communities should all have veto power, and should receive funding from proponents for independent research and community education.
6. The Canadian Government should guarantee that Canada will not import high level radioactive waste.
   
   
   

Adopted November 2003
Amended March 2, 2004

Some resources on nuclear waste in Canada:

Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility
http://www.ccnr.org/
Nuclear Waste Watch

http://www.cnp.ca/nww/index.php 
Energy Probe:http://www.energyprobe.org/energyprobe/index.cfm
NorthWatch

http://www.web.ca/~nwatch/

Some resources for nuclear phase-out and a transition to
clean energy:
Campaign for Nuclear Phase-out

http://www.cnp.ca/main/
Sierra Club of Canada also has good information.

http://www.sierraclub.ca/ 
Energy Probe:

http://www.energyprobe.org/energyprobe/index.cfm