Saugeen Ojibwe Nation votes to block two of three radioactive waste dumps targeted at Great Lakes shoreline!

Beyond Nuclear wishes to express our heartfelt congratulations and thanks to the Saugeen Ojibwe Nation (S.O.N.) for its courage and wisdom. See the S.O.N. vote results, as well as press release. S.O.N., by an 86% margin, turned down Ontario Power Generation's (OPG) offer of $150 million, in exchange for the First Nation of less than 5,000 people agreeing to "host" a provincial dump-site. The dump would have been less than a mile from the Lake Huron shore. It would have been for so-called "low-," and highly radioactive "intermediate-," level radioactive wastes (L&ILRWs) from 20 atomic reactors. OPG proposed that 200,000 cubic meters of L&ILRW be buried at deep geologic repository #1 (DGR1), at its Bruce Nuclear Generating Station (BNGS) in Kincardine, on S.O.N. territory. But OPG was forced to admit that its DGR3, for another 200,000 cubic meters of L&ILRWs, from decommissioning its nuclear power plants, was also targeted at BNGS, instantly doubling the size of the dump. However, unfortunately, DGR2, for all of Canada's high-level radioactive waste (many tens of thousands of tons of irradiated nuclear fuel), is still targeted at S.O.N. country, just 20-some miles from BNGS. So the fight goes on, but the S.O.N. have shown that these dumps can, and must, be stopped.  

 

A large U.S.-Canadian coalition of environmental groups, including Beyond Nuclear, as well as elected officials and municipalities representing the majority of the Great Lakes Basin's population, stand ready to continue to join with S.O.N., to block DGR2 as well, and to shut down BNGS. The Great Lakes (see photo from outer space, above) need protection against a large array of reactor and radioactive waste risks -- they represent 21% of the world's surface fresh water, and 84% of North America's, and they serve as drinking water supply for 40+ million people in eight U.S. states, two Canadian provinces, and a large number of Native American First Nations. After all, as Ojibwe wisdom has long taught, water is life; and S.O.N. has given us all the precious gift of showing that such daunting battles can be won. For extensive media coverage in the immediate aftermath of the S.O.N. vote, and links to other groups fighting against radioactive waste dumps on the Great Lakes shore, see this link. See updates since, as well as media coverage of the lead up to the vote (including S.O.N. anti-dump statements, and even tribal marches), at Beyond Nuclear's Canada website section. And see what you can do to help, in both the U.S. House of Representatives, and the U.S. Senate! Please take action, and spread the word! 

Bicameral, bipartisan state legislators and members of congress take action to stop Canadian Great Lakes shoreline radioactive waste dumps

Would you bury poison beside your well?

So asks the group Stop the Great Lakes Nuclear Dump (STGLND), comprised of residents who live near Ontario Power Generation's (OPG) Bruce Nuclear Generating Station (BNGS) in Kincardine, on Ontario's Lake Huron shore, just over 50 miles from Michigan.

With nine atomic reactors on site, BNGS is the largest nuclear power plant on Earth.

Since 2002, OPG has schemed to bury Ontario's so-called "low-," and highly radioactive "intermediate-," level nuclear wastes, from 20 reactors across the province, at BNGS, less than a mile from the Lake Huron shore.

A large U.S.-Canadian environmental coalition, including Beyond Nuclear, has fought hard for two decades to block the insane proposal.

On Jan. 31, the very nearby Saugeen Ojibwe (First) Nation will hold a referendum on whether to accept OPG's offer of $150 million, in exchange for SON agreeing to "host" this DGR (short for Deep Geologic Repository; opponents sarcastically call it a DUD, short for Deep Underground Dump).

But in early December, Canada's Nuclear Waste Management Organization, comprised of three nuclear utilities and dominated by OPG, named three finalist sites, all in Ontario, still under consideration to become the country's high-level radioactive waste dump, for irradiated nuclear fuel from 22 reactors.

Two -- Huron-Kinloss and South Bruce -- are only 20 miles or so from BNGS, still near Lake Huron. The third, Ignace, is 150 miles northwest of Lake Superior.

In response, a bipartisan group of State of Michigan legislators has pushed back with a resolution opposing Great Lakes shoreline radioactive waste dumping.

So too has a bicameral, bipartisan U.S. congressional caucus.

In Congress, H. Res. 805, Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the President and the Secretary of State should ensure that the Government of Canada does not permanently store nuclear waste in the Great Lakes Basin, has been introduced.

It already has 20 co-sponsors, 13 Democrats and seven Republicans from six Great Lakes States.

Urge your U.S. Representative to help protect the precious Great Lakes, drinking water supply for 40 million people, by co-sponsoring H. Res. 805.

You can reach your U.S. Rep.'s D.C. office, via the Capitol Switchboard, at (202) 224-3121.

Learn more, including links to news coverage, here.

Lawmakers oppose Lake Huron high-level nuclear waste storage

As reported by MLive, a bipartisan, bicameral resolution opposing high-level radioactive waste dumping near the shoreline of the Great Lakes has been introduced in Congress. The initial sponsors include U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters, both Democrats from Michigan, as well as U.S. Representatives Dan Kildee (Democrat-Flint Twp., MI) and (John Moolenar, Republican-Midland, MI).

See the Congress Members' press release, here.

It reports: The resolution is supported by other Democrats and Republicans in the Michigan delegation, including Congressman Fred Upton (MI-06), Congressman Bill Huizenga (MI-02), Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence (MI-14), Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-12),  Congressman Paul Mitchell (MI-10), Congressman Jack Bergman (MI-01), Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI-11), Congressman Andy Levin (MI-09), Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin (MI-08), and Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (MI-13).

The Nuclear Waste Management Organization, comprised of Canada's three nuclear power utilities, has narrowed the list to three remaining candidate sites for the national high-level radioactive waste dump: two neighboring communities, Huron-Kinloss and South Bruce, near the Lake Huron shore, not far (20-some miles) from Kincardine, Ontario, "home" of the Bruce Nuclear Generating Station's nine reactors, the biggest nuclear power plant on Earth.

Similarly, a growing bicameral, bipartisan "caucus" of congressional Great Lakes protectors -- also led by Stabenow and Kildee, mentioned above -- has for several long years, opposed a Canadian nuclear power industry proposal to bury so-called "low" and highly radioactive "intermediate" level radioactive wastes on the Lake Huron shoreline, at the BNGS itself.

On January 31st, the very nearby Saugeen Ojibwe Nation (whose territory "hosts" BNGS) will vote in a referendum on whether or not to accept Ontario Power Generation's offer of $150 million. If SON accepts the $150 million, OPG will expect the tribal First Nation community to "host" -- forevermore -- the "low" and highly radioactive intermediate level nuclear wastes from 20 reactors across the province.

On October 19, 2018, the Detroit Free Press published a feature length article about the 60,000 tons of high-level radioactive waste putting the Great Lakes at risk, on both sides of the border.

On January 13, 2020, the Chicago Tribune ran a major article about Ojibwe views regarding the sacredness and fragility of their Great Lakes homelands, as well as the radioactive risks they face.

See 2013 and 1990 maps, depicting the radioactive risks to the Great Lakes from most stages of the uranium fuel chain, including dozens of atomic reactors along their shores.

Don't Waste Michigan and other grassroots environmental watchdog groups have opposed these Great Lakes shoreline radioactive waste dumping schemes since they were first floated in 2001. Beyond Nuclear has opposed them since its founding in 2007, including repeated rounds of testimony before Canadian federal nuclear and environmental regulatory agencies over the course of many years.

Learn more about these issues at the website of Stop the Great Lakes Nuclear Dump.

Nuclear Waste Fund Treasury Securities Holdings Grow to $40.9 Billion

Exchange Monitor - Nuclear Waste Fund Treasury Securities Holdings Grow to $40.9 Billion - By Exchange Monitor

Rep. Elijah Cummings lies in state Thursday at U.S. Capitol

U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings (Democrat-Baltimore, MD), chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and ReformAs reported by the Washington Post.

As chairman of the powerful U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Reform, Cummings (Democrat-Baltimore, Maryland, photo left) not only co-led the current impeachment inquiry. He also spearheaded an investigation into the Trump administration's greed-driven end run around Congressional safeguards, attempting to provide nuclear weapons proliferation capable technology and know how to the murderous, genocidal Saudi Arabian regime.

Even in the minority in 2016-2017, as Ranking Democrat on the committee, Cummings also led congressional efforts seeking justice and accountability in the aftermath of the Flint drinking water catastrophe. Michigan Radio paid tribute to Cummings' leadership on Flint, when news broke of his passing on. (See Beyond Nuclear's article, "After Flint, Don't NUKE the Great Lakes Next!", about the Canadian proposal to bury vast quantities of hazardous radioactive waste on the Lake Huron shoreline. The relatively pristine waters of Lake Huron, once again, are the source of drinking water for Flint, after the disastrous decision to switch to the Flint River, which caused the lead poisoning catastrophe.)

Cummings was a national champion for social, racial, and environmental justice. His passing represents a huge loss for our country. But his memory, legacy, and example will shine on, as an inspiration for current and future generations.