Nuclear Safety Commission approves low-level waste dump at Chalk River
Nuclear Safety Commission approves low-level waste dump at Chalk River
The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) announced yesterday (January 9) their decision to modify the operating license of Canadian Nuclear Laboratories’ (CNL) site at Chalk River to allow for the construction of a “near surface disposal facility” (NSDF). The NSDF project has been in the works for years, with CNL having initiated the environmental assessment process back in late 2015.
Over the years, many organizations, municipalities and individuals have voiced their opposition to the project, which would see roughly 1 million cubic meters of low-level nuclear waste interred in a raised mound on CNL’s property about 1 km from the Ottawa River. The majority of the waste is currently in temporary storage at the Chalk River site, with around 10% coming from other sites across the country.
In their statement, the CNSC highlighted their consultation with the public and the lengthy environmental assessment process that CNL undertook to gain their license modification. The commission also notes that “the site selection and NSDF design are in alignment with International Atomic Energy Agency standards.”
“As Canada’s nuclear regulator, the CNSC is committed to building trust and advancing reconciliation,” the CNSC notes in its backgrounder document. “As a lifecycle regulator, the CNSC focuses on continuous engagement and consultation with Indigenous Nations before, during and after Commission proceedings for CNSC activities. This includes, for example, collaboratively drafting rights impacts assessments with Indigenous Nations and communities, and consulting on mitigation measures to help minimize any potential impacts of the NSDF project.”
MRC Pontiac Warden Jane Toller issued a statement to CHIP 101.9 saying that she was disappointed in the consultation process, which she referred to as “token listening”.
CHIP 101.9 also spoke with Ole Hendrickson, a researcher with the Concerned Citizens of Renfrew County, a group that’s opposed the project since its inception. He said that he wasn’t surprised by the decision in the slightest, and was not at all satisfied that the concerns brought forth by the public would be adequately addressed.
The full details of the CNSC’s decision can be read here.
The full interview with Hendrickson (15m) is available here.
