Uranium Debate Heats Up in Saskatchewan
by Sandra Cuffe
BEAUVAL, SK - A blanket of snow already covers Northern Saskatchewan, where the uranium industry continues to expand despite opposition.Cameco and Areva's joint northern tour came to an end last night in Beauval with a community supper and corporate door prizes, but unanswered questions linger.
According to a recent survey, more than two thirds of Saskatchewan residents support a halt to any new uranium mine development until existing tailings are dealt with.
The telephone survey, commissioned by the HUES3 Campaign Committee and the Canadian Association of Physician for the Environment (CAPE), was carried out by Oraclepoll Research Ltd in September.
Sixty-eight percent of those polled indicated their support in response to the question, "Would you support or oppose a proposal to stop further uranium mining in Saskatchewan until all radioactive mine tailings have been satisfactorily and permanently contained?"
Less than a quarter of respondents, 23 percent, answered that they would oppose such a proposal and nine percent remained undecided, according to an October 24 media release by HUES3. "The margin of error for this 800-person survey is +/- 3.5%, 19/20 times," states the methodology and logistics provided by Oraclepoll Research Ltd for its 800-person omnibus survey.
"I used to see lots of moose when I used to trap, and caribou, just full of them," Wolverine told the Media Co-op. "I was there quite a few times since the year 2000 and there's hardly any moose. I never saw a moose since then."
Had anyone come to the open house yesterday afternoon in Beauval with questions for Cameco about Key Lake, the draft Environmental Impact Study for the proposed Millennium mine, or the company's other operations in the north, they would have left empty-handed. Although the Cameco-Areva northern tour was jointly advertised with three-hour afternoon open houses in each community along the way, Cameco instead spent the afternoon in classrooms.
"We are meeting with teachers and students to ask them about what they would like to see us invest in in the future, and are speaking with the communities to discuss initiatives we've done in the past," Robert Gegherty, Manager of External Communications for Cameco, wrote in an email to the Media Co-op two weeks ago.
Pat McNamara visited the open house yesterday afternoon. Originally from Port Hope, Ontario, home to Cameco's uranium conversion facility, McNamara became an outspoken opponent of the nuclear industry in 2004 when he discovered that the addition to his daughter's school had been built on radioactive waste.
"If they're going to be allowed to go into the schools, then it's incumbent on the provincial government to make sure that the students get both sides of the nuclear debate, so that they're aware of the dangers that Cameco doesn't tell them about," he said. "This is a failing of both the school boards and the provincial government."
http://www.mediacoop.ca/story/uranium-debate-heats-saskatchewan/13907
RR Chamber weighs in on uranium mining
Posted: Friday, October 26, 2012 10:19 am
Editor’s Note: The following lettter was sent to the Chairman of the Board of Supervisors of Pittslyvania County in regard to uranium mining there. The letter was written by Allen W. Purser, President/CEO, Roanoke Valley Chamber of Commerce in Roanoke Rapids, NC.Dear Chairman Barber:
My name is Allen Purser, I am the President of the Roanoke Valley Chamber of Commerce located downstream from you on the Roanoke River in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina. Our business community here is very concerned about your proposed mining and milling of radioactive uranium in our watershed, which has the potential of threatening our water supply, our health and our way of life in this region.
Just one month ago, our community experienced one of those PMP downpour events cited in the Virginia Beach- Baker Study concerning the risk of mining radioactive material in a tropical region frequented by Hurricanes. We had over 11 inches of rain fall in less than 90 minutes and our town was flooded, the drainage systems completely over-run. According to the US Geologic survey, we get more of these types of storms than anywhere else in the country. Furthermore, Hurricane Floyd put the entire eastern third of North Carolina underwater, and we have had 3 Hurricanes hit land in the last 15 years here. These cannot be called “rare” events in my book.
As business people, we understand risk. We have been briefed on the risk of your Uranium mining proposal from several site-specific studies, and have reviewed the pointed concerns expressed by the independent NAS research. We also understand that the US has centuries of supply of high grade Uranium available for our needs from Canada and Australia and our ≠≠US sources in arid regions where people and water supply are less affected by human error and acts of God that always come with these types of endeavors. Uranium Mining in a hurricane zone with our precipitation patterns is more than risky, it's foolish!
Our water supply comes from this river. Our economy is driven by the reputation of our clean water; our tax revenue base is a byproduct of the Roanoke River. We have a paper mill here that employs 400 people that would be at risk if your Canadian mining operation contaminates our river. The home value and business depreciation that might occur in our region if the water was fouled by Uranium would make the most recent economic downturn look like “the good old days.”
The stewards of our river, selected by each governor from Virginia and North Carolina, 5 republicans and 5 democrats serving on the Bi-State Commission for the Roanoke River, voted unanimously to keep the Uranium mining ban in place. Imagine that, republicans and democrats voting together on this issue of mutual interest and concern. In fact, all the communities and counties along the river in North Carolina have passed resolutions urging you to keep the ban in place, for all our sakes. No one here thinks otherwise.
I am aware that a strong majority of citizens in your county are against this mining operation, and many businesses, homeowners and your Hargrave military academy leaders with such a long tradition there are threatening to relocate if this mine is approved. What will that do to your economy when all the educated people leave the area? What will the region look like when the mine closes and you are left with a giant radioactive dump? Is this really a vision for the future?
You have the power to vote to keep the ban in place for your county, and through that vote, advise your governor and general assembly of your opposition. I urge you to do so.
If you don't, you invite litigation forever waged against your county, and your state by those of us who are united downstream to protect our interests, our water, and our way of life.
We pray you do the right thing for ALL concerned.
Allen W. Purser
http://www.vancnews.com/independent_messenger/article_1cf64d60-1f78-11e2-9ef4-0019bb2963f4.html
Just one month ago, our community experienced one of those PMP downpour events cited in the Virginia Beach- Baker Study concerning the risk of mining radioactive material in a tropical region frequented by Hurricanes. We had over 11 inches of rain fall in less than 90 minutes and our town was flooded, the drainage systems completely over-run. According to the US Geologic survey, we get more of these types of storms than anywhere else in the country. Furthermore, Hurricane Floyd put the entire eastern third of North Carolina underwater, and we have had 3 Hurricanes hit land in the last 15 years here. These cannot be called “rare” events in my book.
As business people, we understand risk. We have been briefed on the risk of your Uranium mining proposal from several site-specific studies, and have reviewed the pointed concerns expressed by the independent NAS research. We also understand that the US has centuries of supply of high grade Uranium available for our needs from Canada and Australia and our ≠≠US sources in arid regions where people and water supply are less affected by human error and acts of God that always come with these types of endeavors. Uranium Mining in a hurricane zone with our precipitation patterns is more than risky, it's foolish!
Our water supply comes from this river. Our economy is driven by the reputation of our clean water; our tax revenue base is a byproduct of the Roanoke River. We have a paper mill here that employs 400 people that would be at risk if your Canadian mining operation contaminates our river. The home value and business depreciation that might occur in our region if the water was fouled by Uranium would make the most recent economic downturn look like “the good old days.”
The stewards of our river, selected by each governor from Virginia and North Carolina, 5 republicans and 5 democrats serving on the Bi-State Commission for the Roanoke River, voted unanimously to keep the Uranium mining ban in place. Imagine that, republicans and democrats voting together on this issue of mutual interest and concern. In fact, all the communities and counties along the river in North Carolina have passed resolutions urging you to keep the ban in place, for all our sakes. No one here thinks otherwise.
I am aware that a strong majority of citizens in your county are against this mining operation, and many businesses, homeowners and your Hargrave military academy leaders with such a long tradition there are threatening to relocate if this mine is approved. What will that do to your economy when all the educated people leave the area? What will the region look like when the mine closes and you are left with a giant radioactive dump? Is this really a vision for the future?
You have the power to vote to keep the ban in place for your county, and through that vote, advise your governor and general assembly of your opposition. I urge you to do so.
If you don't, you invite litigation forever waged against your county, and your state by those of us who are united downstream to protect our interests, our water, and our way of life.
We pray you do the right thing for ALL concerned.
Allen W. Purser
http://www.vancnews.com/independent_messenger/article_1cf64d60-1f78-11e2-9ef4-0019bb2963f4.html
