February 2, 2016
1337
The Municipality of Kincardine and the Township of Huron-Kinloss have reaffirmed their support of Ontario Power Generation (OPG)'s proposed Deep Geologic Repository (DGR) for the long-term storage of low-level and intermediate-level nuclear waste at the Bruce Nuclear site, located west of Tiverton.
Scott Berry and Allan Webster of OPG presented an update at the township general committee meeting Monday morning (Feb. 1), and at the Kincardine council meeting that afternoon.
Webster outlined the highlights of the company, including its generation at Pickering and Darlington and its work at the Western Waste Management Facility located at the Bruce site.
He stressed the benefits of refurbishing Darlington at a cost of $12.8-billion to add 30 years of operation at that site, and extending the life of the six units at Pickering to 2024.
Berry discussed the proposed DGR which has been undergoing study and development for the past 15 years. It underwent an extensive examination by the federally-appointed Joint Review Panel which, in May, 2015, strongly recommended the project move ahead sooner rather than later.
The fate of the project now rests with the current federal minister of the environment and climate change, Catherine McKenna, who is expected to make a decision March 1.
Also, coming up in 2017, is the 10-year licence renewal of the Western Waste Management Facility, said Berry. The licence application will be put forward this spring, followed by extensive community engagement, with a hearing expected in early 2017.
Huron-Kinloss mayor Mitch Twolan asked if OPG has heard anything about the announcement by the federal environment minister next month.
"I can't speculate," said Berry. "We have a new federal minister of the environment and climate change, and she's taking her time to fully review all the information."
"We've heard there are a lot of letters in opposition to the project," said Twolan. "Should we send a letter of support to the minister?"
"We would appreciate a letter of support from Huron-Kinloss," said Berry.
"This is the safest place in Canada, if not the world, to build this facility," said councillor Jim Hanna.
"The DGR project has undergone the most extensive Environmental Assessment (EA) process in Canada," said Berry. "It has been open and transparent. I believe it would be helpful to have a letter of support from the township and other local municipalities, especially from this community which is going to see the biggest impact from this project."
"We'll send the letter to the premier's office as well," said Twolan. "This council has been involved since 2003-04, and our support has never wavered."
Kincardine mayor Anne Eadie echoed those sentiments. "It would be good for us to reaffirm our support for the DGR project. We have done it every year since 2003-04 and we should do it again."
In committee-of-the-whole, Kincardine council agreed with the following motion:
WHEREAS respecting the proposed Deep Geologic Repository (DGR) solution for Ontario's low- and intermediate-level nuclear waste, after more than a decade-long investigation and process that has been scientifically rigorous, cost millions of taxpayer dollars, has been transparent, inclusive and accommodating to every interest, leading to a strongly-worded and powerful endorsement from the federal Joint Review Panel and its recommendation that the project should proceed, sooner rather than later;
AND WHEREAS early in the process, the deep rock vault solution was selected as the preferred option by the council of the Municipality of Kincardine, the host municipality for the world's largest nuclear energy facility and the home of the proposed Deep Geologic Repository, and has been supported by the community and by successive councils over the years, including the current council;
AND WHEREAS given the solid and convincing environmental and safety basis for the Deep Geologic Repository, it should be clearly understood that the voices of the host municipality and the majority of the community should be given paramount consideration in this matter;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the mayor and council of the Municipality of Kincardine once again reaffirm their unequivocal support for the proposed Deep Geologic Repository for low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste and strongly encourage the federal minister of the environment and climate change to approve the project to advance to the next stages of development.
That was later endorsed by council in a recorded vote, 8-1. In favour, were Eadie, deputy mayor Jacqueline Faubert, and councillors Laura Haight, Maureen Couture, Gordon Campbell, Linda McKee, Andrew White, and Randy Roppel; voting against, was councillor Mike Leggett.
Written ByLiz Dadson is the founder and editor of the Kincardine Record and has been in the news business since 1986.
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