50 municipalities, representing over 2 million Québec residents, opposed to radioactive steam generator shipment on St. Lawrence River

Beyond Nuclear ally Michel Fugère in Québec reports that Gaetan Ruest, Mayor of Amqui and head of the 300 municipalities  endorsing the "Municipal Regroupement in Québec," yesterday made a supplemental submission (in French) to the CNSC. The updated number of municipalities endorsing resolutions ("The Fate of Nuclear Power in Québec: A Choice for Society!" and "Resolution to ban the transport of radioactive steam generators via the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence," both also in French) against the Bruce Power radioactive steam generator shipment, as of November 20th, 2010, is 50 municipalities. Additionally, 5 MRC have endorsed the resolution. Altogether, these municipalities represent 455,000 people. Adding Montréal, which has its own resolution against the Bruce proposal, then over 2 million people in Québec, out of a total population of about 7.5 million in Canada's second most populous province, are represented through their municipal leaders in opposition to the radioactive steam generator shipment. 

Broad coalition submits additional comments to CNSC opposing radioactive steam generator shipment on Great Lakes

A broad environmental and public interest coalition of groups from both the U.S. and Canada has again voiced its opposition to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) opposing Bruce Power's proposal to ship 16 radioactive steam generators on the Great Lakes and Atlantic Ocean to Sweden for so-called "recycling." A media release was issued by the coalition. Dr. Gordon Edwards, President of the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility and Canadian co-chair of the Great Lakes United Nuclear-Free/Green Energy Task Force submitted supplemental comments, again emphasizing that the proposed shipment's cargo is mostly plutonium, hardly "low-level" radioactive waste of "no risk" to the public and environment as alleged by CNSC. Kevin Kamps of Beyond Nuclear, and a member of the GLU Nuclear-Free/Green Energy Task Force, also submitted supplementary comments (Part 1; Part 2; Part 3), emphasizing the nationwide and growing coalition calling for "hardened on-site storage" for radioactive wastes rather than risky transport for no good reason -- such as so-called "recycling" of radioactive materials into consumer products, which carries its own radiological risks for the population at large. Michael Keegan, chair of the Coalition for a Nuclear-Free Great Lakes, called upon CNSC for a Full Panel Review, the top level environmental assessment under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act. Ziggy Kleinau, on behalf of the Bruce Peninsula Environment Group, called for an independent full panel review five years ago, and also submitted supplemental comments yesterday.

Watch Kevin Kamps and Susan Corbett testify at Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future

The Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future (BRC) has posted the video showing testimony by Kevin Kamps of Beyond Nuclear and Susan Corbett of South Carolina Sierra Club from the Nov. 16th meeting. Kamps and Corbett presented on behalf of 168 national and grassroots environmental and public interest groups. Both Kevin and Susan's oral presentations, as well as the full group statement and press release, are posted at Beyond Nuclear's website.

Radioactive cargo to travel the Great Lakes is mostly plutonium

Beyond Nuclear has joined with the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility (CCNR, Quebec), Citizens for Alternatives to Chemical Contamination (Michigan), and Radioactive Waste Management Associates (Vermont) to issue a press release warning that Bruce [Nuclear] Power's and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission's description of 16 steam generators targeted to transit the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River as "low-level radioactive waste" is misleading. The cargo is actually mostly ultra-hazardous plutonium, as explained in a concise one-page backgrounder prepared by Dr. Gordon Edwards, President of CCNR.

Kevin Kamps and Susan Corbett testify Nov. 16 at Blue Ribbon Commission

Beyond Nuclear's Kevin Kamps (near left), along with Susan Corbett (far left) of the South Carolina Sierra Club presented before the Department of Energy's Blue Ribbon Commission (BRC) on America's Nuclear Future on radioacative waste management issues on November 16th. The meeting was webcast live. Representing a community of 167 national and grassroots environmental and public interest groups, as well as over 3,300 individual petition signers, Kevin and Susan highlighted the coalition's sign on statement. This statement reflects four key principles: no reprocessing; isolation of the waste from the biosphere for as long as it is a hazard; “stop making it”; and “hardened on-site storage” (HOSS), as well as better monitoring, where waste is stored now, as the first, temporary step to meet these goals. You can also read the coalition press release, the core groups' (which helped lead the effort, by 30 drafters, to write the community statement) cover letter to BRC, Kevin's statement, Susan's statement, as well as the Principles for Safeguarding Nuclear Waste at Reactors (Hardened On-Site Storage). BRC has indicated it may close its public comment opportunity in the near future and retreat behind closed doors to hammer out a draft recommendation report by mid-2011 -- to be finalized by early 2012 -- on what to do to manage irradiated nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste now that the proposed Yucca Mountain, Nevada dumpsite has been cancelled. Send your comments to BRC as soon as possible via BRC@nuclear.energy.gov. For background information on radioactive waste issues, see the Radioactive Waste Section of Beyond Nuclear's website, the Radioactive Waste Project section of NIRS website,  the Radioactive Waste section of IEER's website, as well as the Reprocessing section of ANA's website.