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FEBRUARY
15th , 2009 |
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In
this issue: 2) COMMUNITY URANIUM MEETING AT MABERLY HALL 4) SAGE TO HOST EVENTS IN PETERBOROUGH 5) ARTICLE: HALT FLOW OF HEAVY WATER: MPs 6) PRESS RELEASE: STOP DUMPING RADIOACTIVE WATER IN THE OTTAWA RIVER 7) GORDON EDWARDS SPEAKS ABOUT CHALK RIVER NUCLEAR LEAK 8) TRITIUM LEAK AT CHALK RIVER: COMIC SPOOF BY RICK MERCER 9) ARTICLE: BREAK THE ISOTOPE MONOPOLY 10) ARTICLE: MONTREAL GAZETTE: MINING TOWN BALKS AT URANIUM 11) LETTER REGARDING: MINING TOWN BALKS AT URANIUM 12) VICTORY! NO NUKE LOAN GUARANTEES IN FINAL BILL 13) CANADIAN ENVIRONMENTAL NETWORK NEWS 14) ARTICLE: PUBLIC RESPONSE DISCOURAGES MANY COMPANIES 15) ARTICLE: B.C. URANIUM MINING PROJECT'S IMPACT ON WATER SUPPLY FEARED 17) ARTICLE: WELL CONCERNS PROMPT PACT WITH MINING COMPANY 18) ARTICLE: TRADITIONAL OWNER: DON'T MINE OUR LAND 19) BEYOND NUCLEAR: URANIUM MINING AND HUMAN RIGHTS 1) DIAMOND DRILLER CONFIRMS 15 DRILL HOLES AT FRONTENAC VENTURES EXPLORATION SITE The Frontenac News By Jeff Green February 12, 2009 There is confirmation this week that 15 test holes were drilled on Frontenac Ventures' mining claim properties in late May and June of last year. The Shabot Obaadjwan First Nation, and the Ministries of Northern Development and Mines and Aboriginal Affairs all say they were unaware that drilling had already occurred when they negotiated an accommodation agreement between early June and late November of 2008 concerning Frontenac Ventures' future drilling program in the Crotch Lake area of Frontenac County. Confirmation that the drilling took place came in an email from Jennifer Bonner from George Downing Estate Drilling of Grenville Sur La Rouge, Quebec, which has been obtained by the News. Dated December 17, 2008, the email stated "We drilled 15 holes at the site, ranging in depth from 51 to 100 metres. Casing and caps were installed in these boreholes." An Ontario Ministry of Labour inspector, Alan Davidson, visited the site on June 23, 2008, and he found the drilling had already been completed. In his report, he wrote that he had a telephone conversation with drilling company owner Bruce Downing, who told him "Drilling operations ceased on June 17, 2008 and the drilling equipment was transported off the site. No further diamond drilling is scheduled at this time". Bruce Downing also advised Alan Davidson that an "electronic personal dosimeter was located in the drill hut where the core samples were removed from the drill heads. 'No traces of Radon Daughters were registered' on the personal dosimeter." In 2007, concerns over the potential environmental impacts of test drilling for uranium had been a central issue among local environmental activists and two Algonquin communities, the Ardoch Algonquin and the Shabot Obaadjiwan, leading to a 4-month occupation of the Robertsville mine site, the access point to the Frontenac Ventures mine claim territory. In response to the occupation, Frontenac Ventures sought and received a court injunction, ordering the occupiers off the site and permitting a limited drilling program on the site. The two aboriginal communities claimed that the land, which is included in the long running Algonquin Land Claim, should not be open to exploration without prior consultation. Judge Cunningham ruled for the company and Robert Lovelace, spokesperson for the Ardoch Algonquins, received a six-month sentence for refusing to agree to follow the injunction (this sentence was commuted after 100 days by an appeal court in Toronto.) After four months of negotiations, on November 28, 2008, the Shabot Obaadjiwan First Nation signed a memorandum of understanding with Frontenac Ventures Corporation, and the Ministries of Aboriginal Affairs (Ontario) and Northern Development and Mines (Ontario) setting out the terms for Frontenac Ventures' drilling program. When interviewed this week, Chief Davis said, "It was certainly a bit of a shock when I found out the drilling had taken place before the negotiations began. I am not impressed by the lack of disclosure by Frontenac Ventures, but it does not affect the agreement we have reached. The drilling that took place in late May took place on Frontenac Ventures' leased lands. We were consulting over activities on our lands." The "leased lands" that Davis refers to are a swath of Crown land near Crotch Lake for which Frontenac Ventures holds a 21-year mining lease from Ontario. "Northern Development and Mines did an investigation about the drilling when I contacted them about this just before Christmas, but they did not know before that," Davis said. In a letter dated February 9, 2009 Assistant Deputy Minister Christine Kaszycki from the Ministry of Northern Development referred to that investigation, saying "We have confirmed with the exploration company that some drilling did take place in May prior to the commencement of negotiation of the agreement ... The ministry and my staff were not aware of this drilling, however this activity is allowed under the mining act..." Kaszycki then said that the ministry has not changed its attitude towards the accommodation agreement that resulted from the negotiations. "We believe this agreement to be a significant, positive agreement that balances rights and interests of all parties." The memorandum of understanding was described by Aboriginal Affairs Minister Brad Duguid as "an example of how by working together in a spirit of cooperation and respect, we can find creative solutions in the face of challenging situations." Chief Davis said she remains committed to carrying out the agreement, but she admitted her attitude towards Frontenac Ventures has soured somewhat. "We are not comfortable with the trust level right now," said Davis, "and I will address that with George White." When contacted at his winter home in Florida, George White wondered what all the fuss was about. "What we did last May and June was not core drilling, the holes were not very deep and were only drilled to test a theory about what, in geological terms, is called a non-conformity. They were not test holes in the sense that everyone is talking about. The samples weren't even assayed. It was not much different from drilling a well, which people do all the time." Last July when asked by the News if drilling had taken place, White refused to answer, calling it "proprietary information". This week he said that during negotiations the company was not asked about the drilling that had taken place, nor did it occur to them to disclose it. White added that the geological work has been completed on the site and a report, prepared by a third party consultant to satisfy regulatory requirements, would be completed by early March. Then the hard work of obtaining financing to carry on the exploration project will begin. The current economic climate will not make that an easy task. "Things are 10 times worse out there than people think," White said of the investment climate, "it really is like a depression". http://www.frontenacnews.ca/2009/09-06_feb_12/uranium_09-06.html
This is an opportunity to have tea and talk about what's up with the nuclear industry as it's been playing out at Robertsville, Ontario. Come share your thoughts in a friendly environment. Let's reflect and perhaps talk about possible actions to deal with the 'what if's' as we roll towards spring. It's coming
up on that time of the year again! I'm hoping we have some really good
participation like we did last year! Perhaps people could be outdoors
celebrating and watching the lights go out?
SAGE will be hosting two events of interest in Peterborough: 1. Thursday Feb. 26th: A screening of The 5th Estate's "The Gospel of Green" - a documentary on the future of power in Ontario. Market Hall 336 George St., 7pm The screening will be followed by a panel discussion with Bruce Cox, Executive Director of Greenpeace Canada, and Cherise Burda, Pembina Institute Ontario Director and author of "Plugging Ontario Into a Green Future". The focus will be on the promotion of nuclear energy within the Ontario Power Authority's Integrated Power Supply Plan (IPSP) without adequate encouragement for conservation and renewable energy. Includes Q and A. Free admission. 2. Thursday March 12th: "Shaping A Sustainable Energy Future" Peterborough Public Library 345 Aylmer St. north. 7pm. A look at the emerging Green Energy Act. Includes a screening of the documentary, "The Suzuki Diaries". Kristopher Stevens, Executive Director of the Ontario Sustainable Energy Association will highlight how we can ensure that this new legislation meets its full potential. Includes Q and A. Free admission.
Sierra Club Canada News Release February 6, 2009 Ottawa - Sierra Club Canada is calling for the Canadian Nuclear and Safety Commission (CNSC) to end the dumping of radioactive water into the Ottawa River, and the drinking water of millions of residents downstream from Chalk River. A recent high reading for tritium in water from the Ottawa River is a cause for concern. Recently-announced plans by Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) to deliberately dump radioactive water have also increased concerns about public safety. "Radioactive water is a threat to our health and the environment, and there is no safe level of exposure. It is easily incorporated into our DNA, and can cause birth defects and cancer. We need better drinking water standards, and we need a public investigation to see what is going on at Chalk River," says Mike Buckthought of Sierra Club Canada. A recent reading of 17 becquerels per litre for tritium on January 5, 2009 is a real cause for concern. It exceeds the California limit of 15 becquerels per litre, although it is less than the dangerously high 7,000 becquerels per litre level of radioactivity currently permitted in drinking water in Ontario. The high reading points to the possibility that some radioactive water was spilled into the Ottawa River in early January. There are routine releases of radioactive water from Chalk River, and the public is not informed about the dangers. There also has to be more timely information about nuclear accidents. "The public has the right to know about releases of radioactive water into the Ottawa River and our drinking water supply. After the December 5 incidents at Chalk River, it took weeks before the public was notified. The cities of Ottawa, Petawawa and Pembroke were not notified either," says Buckthought. Levels of tritium found in Ottawa's drinking water reached as high as 30 becquerels per litre in December 2007 - following the restart of AECL's NRU reactor. This was twice the limit in California, where the standard calls for less than 15 becquerels per litre of tritium, and approximately thirty times the natural background level for tritium. In 2007, the federal government ignored advice to shut down the reactor, and forced the restart of the reactor with special legislation. A report on the CNSC web site is blacked out, leading to questions - if there was a release of radioactive water into the Ottawa River, why was the public not informed? For more
information:
Activist Magazine February 6, 2009 On 23 January 2009, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) issued a media release in response to recent media reports of two separate leaks at the Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) National Research Universal reactor (NRU) in Ottawa. http://activistmagazine.com:80/index.php Gordon Edwards was also interviewed on THE LINK, a program broadcast by RADIO-CANADA INTERNATIONAL on the subject of the Chalk River Nuclear Reactor. To listen to the broadcast, go to: http://www.rciviva.ca/rci/en/emissions/1952.shtml
On December 5, 2008, there was a leak of tritium-contaminated heavy water at the 52-year-old NRU nuclear reactor located at Chalk River Ontario. The authorities
in Canada covered up the spill until the end of January 2009. They now
say that most of the water was contained on site but admit that about
10% has evaporated Authorities also admit that about 7,000 litres of slightly radioactive light water per day is also being discharged into the Ottawa River, due to an ongoing leak in the NRU reactor's "reflector". The amounts of radioactivity involved in these spills have not been quantified by the authorities despite repeated requests for more than a week for them to do so. The situation has been lampooned on the popular TV comedy Show about Canadian politics and Canadian life, the Rick Mercer Report, on Feb. 3 2009. To see the
hilarious footage, follow link below. Choose RMR Season Six, Feb. 3 2009, http://www.cbc.ca/mercerreport/video.html 9)
ARTICLE: BREAK THE ISOTOPE MONOPOLY
Special to The Gazette February 7, 2009 By Mark Cardwell "Ghislain Lévesque has dealt with many contentious issues during the 12 years he's been mayor of Sept Îles. But nothing has stirred emotions in the regional hub, 650 kilometres northeast of Quebec City, like the proposal to mine uranium on the outskirts of the city." To read
more of this article go to. 11) LETTER REGARDING: MINING TOWN BALKS AT URANIUM Uranium
dangers are very real February 13, 2009 Letter from
Dr. Michael A. Dworkind of the Cancer Prevention Unit at the Jewish General
Hospital "Mark Cardwell's article might leave readers believing that the residents of Sept Îles were only imagining the threatening health and environmental concerns that led to a permanent moratorium on uranium mining. His article doesn't mention radon gas, a principal toxic contaminant of uranium mining. This is especially true of the low-grade ore, whose extraction creates huge deposits of ground-up tailings that leak radon into the air, soil and water." To read more of this letter, go to.. http://www.montrealgazette.com/Uranium+dangers+very+real/1284476/story.html
February 12, 2009 Dear Friends, VICTORY! YOU DID IT! Late last night, we got word that the $50 Billion in taxpayer loan guarantees for new nuclear reactors and "clean coal" plants has been stripped from the final economic stimulus bill! Your actions made a huge difference. To recap, you: *sent more than 7,600 letters to your Senators in one week *sent more than 3,000 letters to your Representatives in the House in three days *sent more than 1100 letters to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid just yesterday afternoon (unfortunately, most letters to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi were blocked; we'll work on that problem with our Congressional database service). *made thousands of phone calls to your Senators and Representatives *brought needed attention to the issue through your blogs, letters to the editor, your Facebook and Myspace pages, and much more. The final bill should be voted on in the House later today, and in the Senate probably tomorrow. The final bill almost certainly will pass, and there will be no amendments on this final bill, so the taxpayer money for the dirty and dangerous nuclear/coal industry will stay out of the bill. Take a moment to celebrate today! But make no mistake: the nuclear industry and its Congressional backers will try again, and sooner rather than later. Two days ago, for example, they began a new push to have nuclear power declared a "renewable" energy source in Senate Energy Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman's (D-NM) upcoming Renewable Portfolio Standard bill, which is intended to increase renewable energy production in the U.S. (although first indications are that the bill is much weaker than it should be). This is likely to become a major issue in March. And there will be new efforts to set up a federal "clean energy bank" to finance nuclear reactors with taxpayer dollars in the coming weeks and months. In other words, we'll have to stay vigilant and active, and continue growing this movement if we are to attain the safe, clean, nuclear-free, carbon-free energy future our nation and planet needs. You have now proven your effectiveness, but we can and must do even more. President Obama's campaign was successful in large part because of the support of a constantly growing number of ordinary people, taking action and making small donations, that built into an enormous political force. We are taking the same approach: in the past three months, NIRS contact lists have grown by more than one-third--a key element of today's success. Let's continue building this movement! Please make a small donation on our secure servers so we can continue our outreach and build on this success. Your support is gratefully appreciated and every penny is used as wisely as possible. And from all of us at NIRS: THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO!!!! Michael
Mariotte 13)
CANADIAN ENVIRONMENTAL NETWORK NEWS Commissioner's Report Says "We are not on an Environmentally Sustainable Path" On February 5th, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development released his first Report to the House of Commons. In it, the Commissioner states that the government cannot demonstrate that some of its key environmental programs are making a difference. The Report also says that environmental problems such as species extinction, risks to human health from environmental contamination and climate change are serious problems that governments and the public must face today. On a more positive note, the Commissioner recognizes that the federal government is moving in the right direction by providing Canadians with better information and encouraging changes in environmental behaviour. 14) ARTICLE: PUBLIC RESPONSE DISCOURAGES MANY COMPANIES However,
industry is still aware province is open for business, Cecil Telegraph-Journal By Jesse Robichaud February
11th, 2009 But roughly one year after the public backlash over uranium exploration hit a fever pitch, the implementation of tougher regulations and tumbling uranium prices haven't washed away the concerns of people living in southeastern New Brunswick." To read
the rest of this article, go to.
By J.P. Squire Kelona Daily Courier, BC Jan. 29, 2009 "A proposal to develop a uranium mine between Beaverdell and Big White could have ramifications for the South East Kelowna Irrigation District and Kelowna Nordic Cross-Country Ski Club. The Committee for a Clean Kettle Valley held a standing-room-only meeting in Rock Creek on Saturday. A strategy meeting to oppose uranium mining in B.C. will be held in Kelowna on Feb. 21. "Residents are up in arms about the lifting of the government's own moratorium on uranium mining along the Kettle River," said Jenny Fletcher, committee spokeswoman." To read the rest of this article, go to. http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/stories_local.php?id=161150 16)
PRESS RELEASE: NDP MP ATAMANENKO SUPPORTS GROUPS'S CALL FOR BAN ON URANIUM
EXPLORATION AND MINING IN THE KETTLE VALLEY
The Associated Press By Susan Montoya Bryan January 21, 2009 "ALBUQUERQUE - Concern about groundwater contamination around a Superfund site in Western New Mexico 's uranium belt has left a mining company to pick up the tab for connecting more than a dozen homes to a municipal water system that meets drinking water standards." To read the rest of this article, go to. http://www.santafenewmexican.com/Local%20News/Well-concerns-
Jay Fletcher & Emma Murphy February 4, 2009 "AUSTRALIA: A multinational mining company that has been exposed for leaking uranium into Lake Ontario in North America is now exploring uranium deposits only a few kilometres from a significant Alice Springs water supply. Canadian resource giant, Cameco, has entered a joint venture with Australian Paladin Energy to explore and potentially mine the Angela Pamela uranium tenement 25 kilometres south of Alice Springs near the old outstation of Owen Springs." To read the rest of this article, go to, http://www.greenleft.org.au/2009/781/40253
Indigenous Activists Speak Out In Washington Beyond Nuclear
is launching a new initiative to draw attention to the human rights violations
caused by uranium mining. The targeting of indigenous communities with
highly contaminating uranium mining has caused deadly health effects and
the loss of critical resources. Beyond Nuclear urges a halt to the global
push for more nuclear reactors - a direct contributor to the on-going
discrimination against indigenous people. Beyond Nuclear
staff can be reached at: 301-270-2209. |