Attachment to Environment Committee's Report, "NWMO's learn More Initiative"

REPORT TO SIOUX LOOKOUT ENVIRONMENT COMMITIEE ON NUCLEAR WASTE MANAGEMENT

Background

Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) is a federal body mandated by the Nuclear Fuel Waste Act pa sse d in 2002 to find a long term solution for the disposal of nuclear waste. Provinces that produce nuclear energy are required to contribute to NWMO for this purpose. Based on extensive consultation, the ultimate objective is the long term containment and isolation of nuclear fuel in deep geological repository with an informed and willing host community.

In the 1970s, the government embarked on the search for a storage location . The decision on the location was based on geological considerations only with limited involvement of the communities. Suitable sites were found but neighbouring communities were unwilling to host the sites. Forty years later the government is again seeking a permanent solution to the storage of 48,000 tons of spent nuclear fuel. Presently the spent fuel is st ored where it is created.

NWMO is cu rrently leading the site selection process. In 2010, communit ies were invited to express interest in learning if they wished. In total 22 communities expressed interest in learning more and whether their area would meet the requirement for the project. As well as extensive consideration of the scientific and geologica l status of an area, a heavy focus on co mmunity engagement and education is being taken. Some of these communities have been rejected ba sed on assessments of geological suitability and/or community willingness. Some of the Ontario communities still under in the process are Ignace, Horne Payne, Wh ite River, Manitouwadge, Blind River, Elliot Lake and South Bruce. Th ese communities have only expressed interest in learning and no decision has been made to host the project nor has NWMO committed to implementing t he project in their area.

If a community completes the extensive process of site se lection (which takes close to a decade) and is deemed acceptable, and if the community agrees to host the facility, NWMO would enter into a formal agreement with the co mmunity. NWMO is att empting to ensure that the decision to proceed is informed and has the support and involvement of the citizens.

NWMO has conducted an air borne survey over a plot of land a square kilometre in size. Technica l studies are being conducted to und erstand the geology and rocks in the area. If the site is deemed geologica lly suitable, the matter will proceed to public consu ltation to ensure community support exists. It is estimated that a site will not be se lected until 2023. The other 8 communities are less advanced in the process than Ignace in terms of the surveys and studies req uired. A comm unity ca n be eliminated if deemed unsuitable as a result of these surveys.

Following selection of t he site and an agreement signed with the community, the construction phase would commence taking another 10 years. Transportation of the waste from its present storage location would not occur for at least 20 years. In all, the process spans 170 years, involves significant job creation, and an estimated conservative cost of $21.2 billion. Th e chart at the end of this memo summarizes the phases, the time frame, costs and jobs involve d.

What NWMO will do

NWMO reaches out to communities neighbouring those in the selection process and has reached out to Dryden, Wabigoon and the First Nations and Metis settlements in the area. NWMO will visit communities, provide education and will provide funds for bringing in groups with opposing views to NWMO. For communities such as Sioux Lookout, which is more rem ote from Ignace, it would provide this service if and only if invited by Mayor and Council.

If interested NWMO would engage the Municipality in the "Learn More Tour". Th is would entail funding key persons for a field trip in Toronto to visit Nuclear generation plants at Darlington and on the Bruce Peninsula, and receive detailed information about the project. If the community remains interested, NWMO would visit communities for education including funding speakers with views that oppose deep geological burial as the correct solution. NWMO would fund strategic planning pertinent to new industry and economic benefits that would result from a storage facility being located in Ignace. The Municipalities would not bear any of the costs.

At its office in Ignace, NWMO has a display of the bundles, containers and the vaults that would store the waste, and mapping of how a storage plant is la id out.

Salient Points

1. If Ignace is deemed a suitable location, we have no control over Ignace's decision to enter an agreement with NWMO. The Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association's (NOMA) position is that it is the sole decision of the community expressing its wish to be a host community.

2. In the event nuclear waste would be transported to Ignace, it would be at least 20 years before this occurred. Once the public becomes more aware of the results of the existing studies, there will likely be more public interest and concern generated. The urgency from our perspective is the need to begin to move on this process as we are already into the second year of this Council.

3. The aim ofthe NWMO process is not to debate whether Nuclear power is or is not the way we should produce energy. Our participation in an education process would be to educate the public about what could possibly be a future direction for northwestern Ontario.

Environment Committee Involvement

If the Committee takes on the facilitation of an education process, my belief is that our approach as a committee should be neutral and one of facilitation, being clear that as a committee our role is to facilitate public awareness about the matter.

Some reading that might be useful:

1. A Facebook page called NOCANDU that involves Sioux Lookout residents who are concerned about nuclear waste disposal in the region, h ttps ://www. face book.com/gro ups/207219672642 721/, 2. NWMO website is www.nwmo.ca, 3. Article in the March issue of the Globe and Mail Report on Business: http:(/m. theglo be and ma i l.co m/ report -o n-b usi ness/ ro b-magazi ne/i nside-the-ra ce -for-ca nadas­ n uclea r-waste/ article 2 3178848/?service=mo bile&cl ick=sf_glo befb. 4. Material provided by NWMO on the process proposed which I can loan to those interested. www.nwmo.ca. For more details on t he Implementation Plan the address is www.nwmo.ca/implementation. SUMMARY OF PHASES, TIME FRAME, COSTS, EMPLOYMENT

Phase Time Frame Cost #employed Site selection (8 12-15 years $1.5 billion 30 years into it) Regu latory 5 years 30-250 Approval Construction 10 years $3.8 billion 400- 1,200 annually Operation 40 years $12.8 Billion 700-800 Extended 70 years $1.8 Billion 150 Monitoring Decommissioning 30 years $1.2 Billion and Closure TOTAL 170 years $21.2 Billion ~2,500