City opposes nuclear waste plan that would bury toxic nuclear waste near Lake HuronAug 12 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Chris Aldridge The Huron Daily Tribune, Bad Axe, Mich.The city recently joined the effort to oppose a Canadian power company's proposal to store radioactive waste 2,200 feet underground and within a mile of the Lake Huron shoreline. Last week, the city council approved a resolution opposing the construction of the nuclear waste repository, which according to recent estimates would store 7 million cubic-feet of low- to intermediate-level waste that can remain toxic for more than 100,000 years. Ontario Power Generation has eyed a location for the storage site near Kincardine, Ontario -- in an underground limestone rock formation about 55 miles east of Huron County. Mayor Jim Hicks said the idea to oppose the facility was brought to the council by State Sen. Mike Green, R-Mayville. "Green's the one that brought it to our attention and wants us to jump on the bandwagon," Hicks said. "We're all for it. We don't want any nuclear waste in our Great Lakes." City Manager Dale VanDeVusse said he had no comment regarding the resolution, other than he thinks it is "darn important." Joining several other Michigan counties, Huron County commissioners signed a motion in April opposing the construction of the facility. The village of Sebewaing approved a resolution in July. Harbor Beach approved a resolution the same night as Bad Axe. An expert group studied potential hazards associated with the proposed site, at the request of The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency. The group said the "immense" waters of the Great Lakes will greatly dilute any radiation-bearing water that might leak from a proposed nuclear waste site on Lake Huron. Experts also said fast-flowing surface water would dilute leaking radiation, and that it's possible that as much as 1,000 cubic meters a year of water contaminated with radiation might leak out of a site -- although it rates the likelihood as "highly improbable." U.S. Sens. Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow say the potential for spill or contamination from the site would "devastate" Michigan's $7 billion fishing industry, and that Michigan law prohibits disposing of low-level nuclear waste within ten miles of the Great Lakes. Lawmakers also have asked Congress and President Barack Obama to take further action. In May, Sen. Phil Pavlov, R-St. Clair Township, introduced Senate Bill 948. The bill seeks to ban the importing of radioactive waste into Michigan, and now heads to the House for a vote. It was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Technology on June 12. A town hall meeting was held July 29 in Port Huron. Pavlov and Beverly Fernandez, spokesperson for Stop The Great Lakes Nuclear Dump, spoke on actions lawmakers are taking to stop the proposal. Pavlov is seeking support in an online petition at www.protectlakehuron.com. In an attempt to halt construction of the facility, Pavlov and Green have made resolutions requesting action from the International Joint Commission. The commission, a partnership between the U.S. and Canada established in 1909, handles disputes involving waters shared between the two countries. The Great Lakes is the largest system of fresh, surface water on Earth and contains roughly 21 percent of the world supply and 84 percent of North America's supply, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The Great Lakes provide drinking water for 40 million people and 56 billion gallons of water per day for municipal, agricultural and industrial use, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. http://www.energycentral.com/functional/news/news_detail.cfm?did=33355428& |