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Keeping You Connected to the DGR By Marie Wilson, NWMO |
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 The Deep Geologic Repository (DGR) exhibit was at the heavy events, sponsored by Ontario Power Generation (OPG), as part of the 2011 Kincardine Scottish Festival | |||||
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I’m sure many of you have seen the van and trailer combo, resplendent with its colourful visage of graphics and people-photos, as it has made its way throughout several communities in Bruce and Grey counties over the last two With respect to those who expressed concern about the potential contamination of the Great Lakes, the geologic attributes of the proposed location at 680 metres in low-permeability limestone beneath the Bruce Nuclear site are well-documented in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and other documentation accessed at www.opg.com/dgr. A new report entitled DGR: Protecting Lake Huron, which specifically deals with these concerns, can also be accessed at the OPG website.months. The use of the exhibit as an anchor for discussions about OPG’s DGR for low- and intermediate-level waste (L&ILW) harkens back to the days when Adam Beck, Ontario’s father of electricity, frequently took appliances on the road to demonstrate to people, face to face, the merits of electricity. He knew seeing is believing and having the opportunity to become informed, ask questions and engage in conversations about a new subject or product goes a long way in allaying concerns and potential issues. And this is definitely a truism when it comes to OPG’s DGR for L&ILW. After attending numerous events over the summer with the exhibit i.e., Kincardine Scottish Festival, Keady Market, Port Elgin Flea Market, Sandfest at Sauble Beach (where we did the best we could at competing with Elvis Presley) etc., a few conclusions can be made about people’s reactions to the proposed DGR Project. Some smiled at us as they kept walking by, noting they had already heard lots about the project and were in support and didn’t need to hear anymore and thank you very much. Others, who were willing to stop and chat, appeared to be very well-informed and supportive, and were eager to see construction begin. Many of these people expressed surprise at the length of the regulatory approvals process, which initially began in 2005 with the submission of the DGR Project Description to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC), and will be ongoing for several years with a site preparation/construction licence anticipated at the earliest in 2013. Then there were the visitors who didn’t have any prior knowledge of the project and found an overview informative from a personal knowledge perspective. And there were those, albeit the minority by far, who expressed opposition to the DGR. Disapproval of nuclear power, the DGR’s proximity to Lake Huron and concerns about the contamination of the Great Lakes were the most frequent reasons cited for opposing the DGR. With respect to those who expressed concern about the potential contamination of the Great Lakes, the geologic attributes of the proposed location at 680 metres in low-permeability limestone beneath the Bruce Nuclear site are well-documented in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and other documentation accessed at www.opg.com/dgr. A new report entitled DGR: Protecting Lake Huron, which specifically deals with these concerns, can also be accessed at the OPG website.
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As we
head into fall, the DGR mobile exhibit will be making its last
appearance at Pumpkinfest on Oct.1 and 2 underneath the OPG tent
before it heads into storage for the winter months. However,
engagement efforts will continue at a very high level for the DGR
with other communication tools. The next phase for the project is going to be very important in terms of public participation. It is anticipated that the Joint Review Panel (JRP), who along with the public will review the EIS and other documentation, will be appointed, by the federal government later this summer. Once
appointed, the JRP will announce a maximum six-month public comment
period for the submission documents. This is the public’s
opportunity to let the JRP know its views on the DGR Project. It is
an opportunity for all – both those who are opposed and have
concerns, and those who support the DGR Project. There is
still a lot of work to be done before the regulatory approvals
process is finished, and the public, as always, will have many
opportunities to participate. On another note, this is the time of year when many of you who are affiliated with service clubs, business groups or special interest organizations are filling up your speaking engagement roster for the season. If you would like an update on the DGR Project and information about the next steps in the regulatory approvals process, please call me at 519 368-1639. Scrolling stops when you move your mouse inside the scroll area. You can click on the ads for more
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 for
world news,
books, sports, movies ...Wednesday, August 24, 2011 |
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It’s
been a busy and productive summer for Ontario Power Generation
(OPG)’s Deep Geologic Repository (DGR) mobile exhibit.
