"The Great Lakes and their watershed are a critically important resource to both the United States and Canada.  As the largest source of fresh water in the world, millions of residents depend on the Great Lakes for their drinking water.  It is important that both governments work together to protect this shared resource."
-Michigan Representative Bart Stupak's recent letter to the EPA
Bruce Nuclear Power Plant by John Charlton
The Bay City Times had an interesting (and alarming) article on plans to build North America's first ''deep-rock'' nuclear waste dump on the shores of Lake Huron. Ontario Power Generation Inc., the government-owned utility, operates its Bruce Nuclear Site and plant in Kincardine, Ontario - about 50 miles of open Lake Huron water east of the tip of Michigan's Thumb. This photo shows how close the Bruce Nuclear facility is to the water.
Last month, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission began public hearings on a request by OPG to build a storage facility deep underground for low- and intermediate-level radioactive wastes generated at the Bruce nuclear plant site. They would carve out 38 huge caverns 700 yards underground in limestone and shale that has purportedly remained geologically stable for the past 450 million years. Low-level waste such as mops, clothing and floor sweepings and intermediate-level waste like used reactor parts would be stored there, along with similar waste from other nuclear facilities in Ontario.
This prompted Michigan Congressman Bart Stupak to say "You don't put any kind of dump, let alone a radioactive dump, less than a mile from the Great Lakes" and to ask the EPA and the International Joint Commission on the Great Lakes to investigate the matter. (Rep Bart Stupak web site)
Also check out Ontario planning storage site near Lake Huron shore in the Port Huron Times Herald and let us know what you think about this in the comments.
One Comment
Here is some valuable information worthy of research in corelation to the coverage on Lake Huron. Lake Michigan's reactors have leaks which are polluting local water reserves to severe adverse affect to human and other life. It is widely assumed this leak is affecting Lake Michigan directly. Its like slowly dropping a silent bomb on the mid-west to permanetly radiate Chicago, Wisconsin, Canada and Michigan. If the future were ever in the hands of the people of the United States it is now
Subject: Great Lakes United opposes nuke waste dump on Great Lakes shoreline
Date: Friday, May 23, 2008, 10:04 AM
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
This proposed radioactive waste dump would set a horrible
precedent for the entire Great Lakes region. "Stay
tuned" for an opportunity to join a group sign on
statement in opposition to this dump -- your deadline for
commenting to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
is June 18th. Comments from the U.S. will carry a lot of
weight in the process. Of course, it'd be great if
folks want to do their own individual comments as well --
see bottom of press release on how. And it would be great
if folks could contact their U.S. Senators and U.S.
Representative (the U.S. Capitol Switchboard can patch you
through to your Members of Congress, 202-224-3121), as well
as Governor and state representatives, urging them to
actively oppose this proposed dump. Thanks!
*Great Lakes United Green Energy & Nuclear Free Task
Force*
Public Participation Necessary in Proposal for Nuclear
Waste Dump
Unprecedented underground site would store radioactive
waste materials from all of Ontario’s nuclear reactors
May 23, 2008 (Toronto, ON) – Ontario Power Generation is
planning to site an underground radioactive waste dump in
Bruce County, Ontario, a mere one kilometre (half a mile)
from the shore of Lake Huron. Environmental groups fear the
independence of the environmental assessment panel will be
compromised by the presence of the Canadian Nuclear Safety
Commission.
“The Canadian government wants to build a nuclear waste
dump on the shores of the world’s largest freshwater
ecosystem. There are serious risks involved in doing this
and we want to ensure a full and independent assessment of
what the consequences will be, free of bias from the
nuclear establishment,” said Gordon Edwards of the
Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility.
“An independent panel is one that has no conflict of
interest because its members are not involved in promoting,
defending, or licensing nuclear facilities,” Edwards
continued.
The nuclear regulator has never had a seat on a panel for
environmental assessments, and their role in this one could
set a dangerous precedent, downplaying the dump’s
radiological risks to health and the environment.
Great Lakes United’s Green Energy and Nuclear Free Task
Force urges that a completely independent review board be
established, without Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
presence. The Task Force also calls on Great Lakes
residents on both sides of the border to speak out, given
the potential hazards of the proposed dumpsite for the
entire Great Lakes watershed.
After pressure from citizen groups and elected officials in
both Canada and the United States, the Canadian government
has committed to a Full Panel Review, but the presence of
the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission threatens to bias
decision-making in favour of a pro-nuclear position,
despite the risks.
“The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, like the U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory Commission, has all too often
rubberstamped risky nuclear experiments. Given the grave
radiological risks of this proposed dumpsite on the shore
of the Great Lakes, they would have a conflict of interest
and undermine an independent environmental assessment,”
said Kevin Kamps of Beyond Nuclear in Washington, D.C.
“Citizens from across the Great Lakes region will be
living with the consequences of this decision for thousands
of years. Their voices, and not only those in favour of
nuclear power, must be heard,” said Michael Keegan of the
Coalition for a Nuclear Free Great Lakes. “The public
deserves an independent and accountable environmental
assessment. It is crucial that citizens engage strongly
today to ensure their voices are heard during the
environmental assessment.”
The proposal involves building a deep repository beneath
the Bruce Nuclear plant site near Kincardine, Ontario. The
largest nuclear power plant in North America, it is looking
to build new reactors which could make it the largest
nuclear power plant in the world. The dump site would
contain all radioactive wastes, except irradiated nuclear
fuel, from Ontario’s twenty nuclear reactors. Waste to be
stored includes transuranic radionuclides, such as
plutonium, contaminated filters from irradiated fuel pools,
thousands of highly radioactive metallic pipes and other
contaminated items.
Last week the Macomb County Water Quality Board and the
Macomb County Board of Commissioners in Michigan both
passed resolutions opposing any underground radioactive
waste dump in the Great Lakes region. Over the past two
years, members of Congress have repeatedly spoken out
against the proposed dump, including Energy Oversight and
Investigations Subcommittee Chairman Bart Stupak of
northern Michigan, and Judiciary Committee Chairman John
Conyers of Detroit.
“Macomb County is saying very clearly that the actions of
its neighbours have a huge impact on the health of its
communities and environment,” said Kay Cumbow of Citizens
for Alternatives to Chemical Contamination. “Siting a
nuclear waste dump right next to the drinking water supply
of over 30 million Canadians and Americans is a disaster
waiting to happen.”
Take Action
The documents under review, and the comment process can be
found online at:
http://www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca/050.....ntID=26204
Great Lakes United Green Energy and Nuclear Free Task Force
The Task Force is made up of concerned citizens and
organizations promoting green energy solutions for the
Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River. It is part of the Great
Lakes United coalition, an international voice dedicated to
preserving and restoring the health of the Great
Lakes‑St. Lawrence River ecosystem. Great Lakes United
is made up of 170 member organizations representing
environmentalists, conservationists, hunters and anglers,
labor unions, community groups, and citizens of the United
States, Canada, and First Nations and Tribes.
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