Haldimand "New Nuclear Power Plant Project goes to Review Panel"
Environment Minister Refers Nanticoke New Nuclear Power Plant Project to a Review Panel
OTTAWA, June 24 /CNW Telbec/ - Canada's Environment Minister Jim Prentice
announced today that the proposed Nanticoke New Nuclear Power Plant Project in
Haldimand County, Ontario will undergo an environmental assessment by an
independent review panel.
"I am confident that an independent review panel will fully consider the
environmental issues related to the proposed project and make sound
recommendations to the federal government," said Minister Prentice. "This will
be the best means of addressing public concerns pertaining to this major
nuclear project."
The Minister's decision is based on a recommendation made by the Canadian
Nuclear Safety Commission.
The project is a proposal by Bruce Power Erie Inc. to construct and
operate up to two new nuclear reactors and associated facilities, in the
former municipality of Nanticoke, Ontario, for the generation of 2200 to 3200
megawatts of electricity. The proposed site is located on the north shore of
Lake Erie in Haldimand County.
The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (the Agency) is making
available up to $100,000 in participant funding to assist individuals or
groups to take part in the environmental assessment process. This funding will
help successful applicants in Phase I of the process to review and comment on
the draft guidelines for the environmental impact statement (EIS) and draft
joint review panel agreement. In Phase II, additional funds will be made
available to help applicants review the EIS and prepare for and participate in
the public hearings. Funding applications for Phase I received by July 27,
2009 will be considered.
Information on the funding program, the proposed project and on the
environmental assessment process is available on the Agency's Web site at
www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca, under registry number 08-03-43757.
The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency administers the federal
environmental assessment process, which identifies the environmental effects
of proposed projects and measures to address those effects, in support of
sustainable development.
For further information: Media: Annie Roy, Senior Communications
Advisor, Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, (613) 957-0396
Whooee! I reckon this Environmental Assessment will be just like 97% of all EA's. The project will be approved. The federal EA process, despite costing both the company and the taxpayers millions, is little short of a rubber stamp. At one of Toby Barrett's "energy symposiums", Ontario Energy Commissioner Gord MIller cited the statistics. Of the most recent 63 EA's, only 2 were rejected. That's a 97% approval rate.
ReplyDeleteIt's easy to see how they get passed. When somebuddy sez there ain't enough cool water in Lake Erie, Bruce sez they're considering using a closed loop cooling system that will require much less water than typical plants require. BTW, I'm considering buying a new Mercedes. Betcha that makes you think I'm richer than I really am.
Bruce is paying Golder Associates $30 million to conduct the EA. Golder's business is based on getting EA's approved. They aren't in it to conduct a fair assessment. They're in it to deliver what their client is paying for: approval.
If someone sez there are seismic issues and points out that the area has had tremors up to magnitude 4.8, Golder/Bruce just sez they'll make the plant so it can withstand a magnitude 5+. The plant in Japan was rated for a 7.0. In July 2007, they had a 6.8. The plant didn't melt down but all 7 of its reactors had to be shut down. Only one of those reactors has retiurned to service 2 years later. In that 2 years, there have been 9 separate fires at the Japanese plant. Relkiable? I think not.
A 12 year study just came out involving 15 countries and over 400,000 people. The study shows that nuke workers are far more likely to develop cancer than other workers. I wonder where that info will fit into the EA?
One thing will stop this polant and it won't be a rubber stamp EA. Public opposition is what will stop it. Bruce and McGuinty have made solemn promises that they would only build a plant in a willing host community. If we ain't willing and show them that we ain't willing, they won't build it. If we think we can rely on a sham EA to stop it, we gotta nuther think comin'.
JB
Thanks JimBobby for your comment.
ReplyDeleteThere is money available for any groups out there that want to support or fight this Nuclear Build. I had the website but I lost it. As soon as I find it again I will post it, it is on one of the government sites.
Thankee, DonnaGal. I got that info so you don't hafta do any diggin'. Like I was sayin', 97% of EA's get approved so I ain't sure how much good it could do to go up in front o' the panel an' tell 'em what they ain't gonna listen to anyways. If our local county councils was to declare us unwillin' host communities, that'd put the kibosh on it.
ReplyDeleteWay I see it, just the idea of a nuke plant comin' in is hurtin' our local economy. Down in Dover, they gotta lotta new retirees movin' in from Trawna an' Burlington an' other big smoke places. I talked to some of 'em an' they been sayin' if they'd had an inkling that this here nuke plant was comin' in, they'd o' bought their retirement homes somewheres else.
That ain't all. I been talkin' to quite a few o' my friends an' neighbours an' relatives an' they're sayin' if this here nuke plant comes in, they're headin' out.
So, we're scarin' away newcomers an' chasin' away oldtimers just by talkin' about the dang thing. If Bruce wants to actually build it, they're gonna hafta come up with investors who got about 10 billion bucks to pump into a factory that's churnin' out somethin' we already got too much of. They'd be some dumbass investors, sez I.
We need to put an end to even the idea of a nuke plant. The onliest way we cann do that is fer our county councils to get up on their hindlegs an' do their demnocratic duty an' represent the folks who voted 'em in an' pass some resolutions that reflect what most people think -- we ain't willin' to risk our future an' our grandkiddies' futures on some dumb pie-in-the-sky promises of jobs, jobs, jobs.
BTW, congrats on the Chronicle gig. You deserve to get paid fer what you do. I'm hopin' to get paid fer what I do someday but i ain't holdin' my breath. My Grannie useta say, "You'll get your reward in heaven." She's gone off to get hers an' I can only hope she's there waitin' fer me when I get there.
JB