nuclear-news

Court action over inadequate environmental assessment of nuclear reactor plans

They also note that the government didn’t select a specific type of nuclear reactor, making its possible impact difficult to assess.

Environmentalists challenge Ont. nuclear plan in court   The Canadian Press, Mar. 21, 2012  TORONTO — A group of environmentalists has gone to court to challenge Ontario’s plan to build new nuclear reactors, arguing the environmental risks and costs involved haven’t been properly assessed.

Lawyers for Ecojustice and the Canadian Environmental Law Association have filed arguments in Federal Court on behalf of several green agencies, saying a review panel failed to carry out a proper environmental assessment on building new reactors at the Darlington
station in Clarington, Ont…….
the groups, which include Greenpeace, Lake Ontario Waterkeeper,
Northwatch and the Canadian Environmental Law Association, argue the
government provided only vague plans to the federal
government-appointed review panel, which nonetheless recommended the
project be approved.

They argue that, contrary to the requirements of the Canadian
Environmental Assessment Act, the panel also didn’t gather the
evidence required to evaluate the project’s need and possible
alternatives.

They are asking Federal Court to order the review panel to take a
second look at the project.

A proper environmental study, the groups add, is especially important
after lessons learned from the disaster at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear
plant.

They also note that the government didn’t select a specific type of nuclear reactor, making its possible impact difficult to assess.

“Despite the profound lack of critical information regarding the
project’s design and specific means by which the radioactive waste it
generates will be managed, the (joint review panel) report purports to
conclude that no significant environmental effects are likely,” said
the court filing, obtained by The Canadian Press…..
http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20120321/court-challenge-nuclear-plan-120321/20120321/?hub=TorontoNewHome

March 22, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Canada, Legal