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Great Lakes risk disaster with Nuclear waste site near Huron

Nuclear waste site near Huron spells disaster for Great Lakes By State Sen. Hoon-Yung Hopgood, D–Taylor Burying radioactive nuclear waste less than a half-mile from one of the Great Lakes is a really bad idea.

Ontario Power Generation is proposing an underground, radioactive nuclear waste repository near the shores of Lake Huron in Kincardine, which is less than a mile inland and about 120 miles upstream from the main drinking water intakes for southeast Michigan.

A review panel has approved the utility’s proposal, which awaits a decision by Leona Aglukkaq, Canada’s Minister of the Environment. Aglukkaq has until Dec. 2 to make a final decision.

It is my belief that this project must be immediately stopped. The Great Lakes are a precious water resource, and the health of Michigan’s citizens must be protected — this dangerous proposal simply puts too much at risk.

The nuclear waste to be buried at this location — which is the only location under consideration — includes chemically hazardous materials, some of which can remain radioactive for nearly 100,000 years.

The waste would be buried in water-soluble shale limestone, a material that is entirely untested and unproven for the disposal of nuclear waste. In fact, this method is so uncertain that there is not a single scientist or geologist who can guarantee the nuclear dump will not contaminate the Great Lakes.

Despite these concerns, Canadian officials continue to move forward in reviewing the project, even though state and federal elected officials, members of the medical community, and more than 15 broad-based Michigan industrial and environmental groups — along with the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, and other Canadian organizations — are opposed to this dangerous plan.
According to the Canadian nonprofit Stop the Great Lakes Nuclear Dump Inc., as of Aug. 26, 170 resolutions — representing nearly 23 million people — have been passed expressing opposition to the plan, which could be economically devastating to Michigan.

The potential impact of nuclear waste contaminating the Great Lakes is nothing short of catastrophic. It could discourage visitors and disrupt our tourism and agricultural industries.

In addition, millions of Michigan and Canadian citizens live downstream from this proposed repository. The potential for contamination of the water that our livelihoods depend upon is a very real, and extremely serious, risk.

Yet, contaminated drinking water is just one way that Michigan citizens could be negatively impacted……..http://www.mlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2015/09/nuclear_waste_site_near_huron.html

September 19, 2015 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | general