Lake Huron Basin Update - Ontario Side
Nuclear Waste Storage Concerns
Bruce County Residents
By Douglas Lonsdale, Saugeen Field Naturalists
As Ontario Power Generation (OPG)
moves forward with plans to expand
the Western Waste Management
Facility (WWMF) at the Bruce Power
site on the shores of Lake Huron, the
concurrent Deep Geologic Repository Proposal brings the reality
of long-term nuclear waste storage to Bruce County.
The WWMF, covering approximately 19 hectares (47 acres), has
been been in operation since 1976. Currently, the facility stores
low-and intermediate-level radioactive waste generated by the
Bruce, Pickering and Darlington nuclear generating stations (the
latter two on the north shore of Lake Ontario east of Toronto).
With major refurbishments scheduled at all of Ontario's nuclear
stations, increased waste storage space is required. In addition,
two new waste forms – steam generators and reactor
components – will be stored in steel and concrete in-ground
containers. The Refurbishment Waste Storage Project (RWS)
triggers a federal environmental assessment, which will
continue through most of 2005. With approval anticipated by
the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, the expanded site will
be in operation by late 2006.
The Deep Geologic Repository Proposal would place a nuclear
waste repository 660 metres (2,165 feet) below ground level in
what is termed low-permeability limestone. In a rather unique
hosting agreement between OPG and the municipality of
Kincardine, OPG will provide Kincardine and adjacent communities
with $35 million over 30 years – but only if the communities
remain supportive of the project.The first installments are about
to be disbursed.
In the midst of these proposals, the Nuclear Waste Management
Organization (representing producers of nuclear power,
including OPG) continues its studies, charged by Canada's
Nuclear Fuel Waste Act with solving the problem of long-term
storage of high-level radioactive waste. This report will be
presented to the Canadian government by November 15 of this
year. Is the storage of high-level waste at the Bruce site a possibility?
OPG says no, and their hosting agreement specifically
rules out this eventuality. Still, the transportation of mediumlevel
waste has unnerved several local groups and questions
remain as to the capacity and security of these sites. Recent
documents released by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment
indicate the continued release into the groundwater of heavy
metals and contaminants from landfill sites and waste dumps at
the Bruce site.
If these dumps cannot be secured, there remain serious
concerns about placing nuclear waste disposal sites on the
shores of Lake Huron.
Local groups, including the
Saugeen Field Naturalists, will
continue to monitor the process
as it moves forward. At the local
open house presentations, in
many cases the OPG presenters
have outnumbered the attendees.
Concerned local groups like the
Saugeen Field Naturalists are dealing with a combination of
complacency and cynicism surrounding this issue, in the face of
a genuine lack of alternatives in dealing with the whole problem
of nuclear waste. These unanswered questions remain as the
legacy of our commitment to and reliance on nuclear power
generation in Ontario.
For information on the nuclear waste storage in Bruce County,
visit OPG’s website at www.opg.com/ops/RWS1.asp.
To keep in touch with the Saugeen Field Naturalists,
please email doug.lonsdale@bellnet.ca.
Prospects for Fish Communities in Lake Huron
By Linda Pim
At the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, the Lake Huron
Office of the Upper Great Lakes Management Unit is working
on Environmental Objectives (EOs) for Lake Huron. The
objectives document provides a summary of the major environmental
impediments to achieving Fish Community Objectives
in Lake Huron. The draft EOs were developed under the
auspices of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission (GLFC) by the
Lake Huron Technical Committee’s Environmental Objectives
Working Group, with funding from the GLFC.
A copy of the entire draft EOs can be found on the GLFC
website: www.glfc.org/research/reports/Liskauskas/pdf
The Environmental Objectives for Lake Huron represent a
preliminary effort at developing a strategic approach towards
addressing the environmental constraints affecting fish
communities throughout Lake Huron.
Although at publication date of this edition of GLAHNews,
the deadline for comments on the draft EOs has just passed,
please visit the above website and for further information,
contact Arunas Liskauskas, management biologist, at
arunas.liskauskas@mnr.gov.on.ca or call (519) 371-5927.
Lake Huron Basin - Ontario Side Advisor
Linda Pim
Ontario Nature - Federation of Ontario Naturalists
355 Lesmill Road
Don Mills, ONT M3B 2W8
(416)-444-8419, ext. 243
(416)-444-9866 (fax)
E-mail: lindap@ontarionature.org
Website: www.ontarionature.org
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Disclaimer:
The interpretations and conclusions presented in this newsletter represent the opinions of the individual authors. They in no way represent the views of the Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council, the C.S. Mott Foundation, subscribers, donors, or any organization mentioned in this publication.
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