DGR decision delayed again; Kincardine continues to support project

Federal environment minister Catherine McKenna has, once more, delayed a decision on Ontario Power Generation (OPG)'s proposed Deep Geologic Repository (DGR) for low- and intermediate-level nuclear waste at the Bruce Nuclear site, located in the Municipality of Kincardine.

However, Kincardine continues to support the project and the fact-based science behind it.

In an announcement Thursday (Feb. 18), McKenna requested additional information and further studies on the Environmental Assessment (EA) for the project.
 

After considering the Joint Review Panel EA report, the minister has requested that the proponent, OPG, provide additional information on three aspects of the EA:
 

• Alternate locations for the project
• Cumulative environmental effects of the project
• An updated list of mitigation commitments for each identified adverse effect under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012
   

OPG has been asked to provide the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, by April 18, a schedule for fulfilling the information request. The minister will contact the Joint Review Panel, at a future date, regarding its role in the review of the additional information and studies.
 

The minister's request for information from the proponent has paused the timeline for an EA decision to be issued, as per section 54(6) of CEAA 2012. At a later date, the minister will seek a further timeline extension from the Governor in Council.

Originally, a decision was expected last fall. However, with the change in government after the federal election, that was extended to December, and then March 1, 2016. Now, the deadline is mid-April just for OPG to come up with a schedule to deal with the additional information request.

Despite this further delay, Kincardine mayor Anne Eadie said council has reaffirmed its support of the DGR.

"If minister McKenna needs more information to verify the existing science, we can wait for this to happen," she said. "We are confident the science is there to support the project."

She said the DGR has been studied by experts for well over a decade with many opportunities for the public to ask questions at open house events and at special presentations.

"The Joint Review Panel process was very thorough and concluded that the proposed site in our municipality was safe," said Eadie. "Also, the Municipality of Kincardine had many opportunities to hear presentations on the proposed DGR and had an Independent study done."

To confirm its continued support for the project, council recently approved a resolution supporting the DGR project and continues to be a willing host, said Eadie.
 

"We live by Lake Huron which is near and dear to us all for many obvious reasons - we swim in it, we drink the water, we go fishing, etc.," she said. "Therefore, we want a safe solution to the storage of low- and intermediate-level waste. The experts will decide."

Meanwhile, former Kincardine mayor and retired nuclear engineer Glenn Sutton is also urging the minister to make a decision on the project, and has been doing so since last fall.

In a letter to the minister, dated Nov. 25, 2015, Sutton said a decision must be rendered in early December, to approve conditions that must be met for a construction licence to be issued.

"The Joint Review Panel has accepted the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and the Preliminary Safety Report for the DGR project," states his letter.

"I have been intimately involved in this project from the very start in 2001, as a councillor and then as a mayor," states Sutton. "I presented information in my letter to the panel of Aug. 12, 2013, from the a local media article of May 29, 2013, entitled 'Michigan Senate calls for review of proposed OPG DGR'.

 

"In that news article, the following two statements were made by United States government organizations when they reviewed the studies and raw data for the proposed OPG DGR:

 

• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): “In comparison to other international programs, the proposed DGR site at 2,230 feet beneath the Bruce Nuclear site, is the deepest planned facility in the world, is bounded by the thickest assemblage of low permeable cap rocks, and is isolated from surface and drinking water.”
• Michigan Department of Environmental Quality: “The Department of Environmental Quality reported that it studied the Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed project and related studies and ‘has no technical objections to the conclusions reached in the many various studies'."

Sutton states that these two findings are very significant. "The EPA stated that the planned facility was isolated from surface and drinking water. Also, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality had no technical objections to the conclusions reached in many of the various studies. The Joint Review Panel gave major weighting to these two findings by U.S. government agencies.

 

"In my opinion, this entire EA process has been robust, complete and based on science. As such, it could be used as a model for other EAs to follow. This observation, therefore, meets the requirement for EAs as outlined in both the Liberal Platform and your Mandate Letter on page 3 of 4: 'Ensure that decisions are based on science, facts, and evidence, and serve the public’s interest'.

 

"As such, please do not let us be exposed to political hegemony from other competing jurisdictions.

 

“In summary, given the importance of nuclear energy as a clean energy source, it is imperative that the federal government give due consideration to the advancement of the proposed OPG DGR project. Good luck in your new appointment as a minister and remember the friendly atom.”