(November 18, 1994) North Bay - Northern Ontario is the target of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited's search for a dump site for highly radioactive nuclear waste, a coalition of environmental groups warned in response to the release of the Environmental Impact Statement on 26 October outlining AECL's "disposal concept". It describes their proposal to bury the radioactive waste in an unidentified site in the Canadian Shield.
(422.4182) WISE Amsterdam - "Over a decade ago, AECL investigated Massey, Kirkland Lake and Atikokan as dump sites for nuclear waste. When the local people objected - and they did that very emphatically - AECL got the idea that they would get a federal approval first, and find a site later. That approval is what they're looking for now." said Brennain Lloyd, a spokesperson for Northwatch. "The review is part of a joint program between Ontario and the federal government, and Ontario Hydro has prepared part of the proposal. AECL may generically say that they're looking for a site in the Canadian Shield, but it's been clear from the beginning that northern Ontario is where they intend to put the waste."
The environmental organization has a list of concerns about the federal review process, and how AECL and the federal government are conducting it. Lack of notice for public meetings was a major concern in the first stage of hearings, in 1991, and many of the people who did present to the federally appointed panel in the first stage expressed concerns about the way the review was being conducted and the restrictions on topics that can be discussed. The hearing is about "disposal" of fuel waste from nuclear reactors, but the terms of reference for the hearing don't allow discussion of nuclear power, energy policies, or the link between nuclear power and nu-clear weapons.
Source: Greennet, 27 October 1994
Contact: Northwatch, Box 282, North Bay P1B 8H2, Canada.
Tel: + 1-705- 497.0373