AMK—The president of the Algoma-Manitoulin Green Party of Ontario Constituency Association (OMGPOCA), Calvin Orok, says the chances are good that the Nuclear Waste Management Organization’s (NWM) concept of burying high-level spent nuclear fuel rod bundles will involve a community within this riding. And, he feels that public awareness is key to looking at what implications this could have for the area.
“I think it’s fair to ask the question whether communities with populations of about 1,000 should be asked to solve a solution that southern Ontario has had for the past 50 years,” said Mr. Orok, who was elected as president of the AMGPOCA at the group’s annual meeting this past weekend.
“In the last federal election I ran for the Green Party in the Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing riding and did a lot of research on this issue,” said Mr. Orok. “Our area is rural and not highly populated. And for this and other reasons this will probably be the area where this material will probably go (in a deep geological repository). Manitouwadge, my home community of White River, Constance Lake they consider might be an economic boon for the community if they take this nuclear waste material.”
“The Canadian Nuclear Regulation Agency (CNRA) is currently involved in the process (with the Nuclear Waste Management Organization) that was initiated several years ago, as to how and who would take this nuclear materials,” said Mr. Orok.
Originally 22 communities had been tabbed for possibly taking this nuclear waste, “but the last time I checked this list had been reduced but included Blind River, Elliot Lake and other communities. There are probably five communities being considered in the AMK riding, so I think the odds are good it’s coming to our riding,” said Mr. Orok. “It also means that along with communities, First Nations will be involved and they will be raising concerns with this nuclear material being transported and exactly where it will end up.”
“I know for instance that Elliot Lake is very interested,” said Mr. Orok. “They are looking at it being deposited in a rock area north of the community. They (Elliot Lake) really want it because it would be a boon to the economy.”
“The rest of those communities being considered to take this are smaller towns than Elliot Lake,” continued Mr. Orok. He explained, “there is a lot for people to understand with this issue, and it is what I would describe as being a very strange issue; you’re looking at something that is going to last hundreds of thousands of years. These containers (holding the nuclear waste from nuclear plants) are solid waste inside. One of these containers each would fit on a transport truck, and there will be hundreds of thousands of these containers that will have to be moved. Right now they are stored at facilities at nuclear waste plants.”
“Our job I feel is to talk about the issues,” said Mr. Orok. “The concept that is being looked at is how to transport this nuclear (waste) in a controlled, secure manner. At certain times of the year, when you are looking at the area from Sault Ste. Marie to Wawa, in the winter, do we want to have these materials being transported then?”
“Rail transportation is a viable option except we don’t have a good safety record in rail transportation the last five few years, especially if it means something could potentially end up in the water,” said Mr. Orok. “And I think First Nations will be concerned about anything that is being considered to be transported through their lands. But they might not know this is taking place until approval is given.”
“At our annual meeting we talked a lot about the DGR,” said Sarah Hutchinson. “The key to our area is moving forward in terms of awareness. There are five communities in this riding being looked at to take this stuff. When something goes wrong in the transportation or storage of this waste, and it will, there is no way to get out.”
“We need to raise awareness on this issue,” stated Mr. Orok, “getting groups like Northwatch and the Canadian Nuclear Regulatory Agency involved. We need to get the science community involved, municipalities, First Nations, basically anyone with a voice on the matter. The meeting should include members of the public, even schools; every one of those people that would be affected. Everyone should know planning do something.”
“These containers contain potentially dangerous material, and when there is no place to put it, the process is incomplete,” said Mr. Orok. “And we in this area and Ontario are not the only ones; around the world everyone wants to solve the solution of how to safely dispose of these type nuclear materials.”
