Wawa Continues Learning About Canada’s Plan for Nuclear Fuel
Standing in front of the NWMO information kiosk in the Wawa Community Centre are Mayor Linda Nowicki and NWMO Community Engagement Director John Fraser. Photo courtesy Municipality of Wawa
Municipality of Wawa learns more about Canada’s plan for the long-term management of used nuclear fuel
Municipality of Wawa representatives visited Toronto last week to meet with the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) to learn about Canada’s plan for the long-term management of used nuclear fuel. The ‘learn more’ opportunity, funded by the NWMO, included a detailed briefing by NWMO staff. The following day, the Wawa delegation which included Mayor Linda Nowicki, Councillors Yvan Besner, Bill Chiasson, Holly Morrison-Smith, CAO/Clerk-Treasurer Chris Wray and Community Members Rod Morrison and Marny Chauvin visited the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission in Ottawa to learn about the regulation of used nuclear fuel and how the public interest is protected.
In June 2007, the Government of Canada selected Adaptive Phased Management as Canada’s plan for safeguarding the public and environment over the very long time in which used nuclear fuel must be managed. The plan requires that Canada’s used nuclear fuel be safely and securely contained and isolated from people and the environment in a deep geological repository in a suitable rock formation. In May 2010, the NWMO published a process for identifying an informed and willing community to host the project.
Having developed an understanding of the plan and the project, Council requested that the NWMO provide the community with information on the project and the site selection process. As such, an information kiosk has been installed in the Community Centre. It contains information on various topics including:
- The Nuclear Waste Management Organization;
- The Deep Geological Project;
- Ensuring Safe Transportation of Used Nuclear Fuel;
- Regulatory Oversight of Canada’s plan;
- What other countries are doing to manage their used nuclear fuel; and,
- The Multi-Barrier System, a series of engineered and natural barriers that will work together to contain and isolate used nuclear fuel from the biosphere;
- The Process for Selecting a Site for Canada’s Deep Geological Repository for Used Nuclear Fuel; and,
- Frequently Asked Questions.
The kiosk also contains a touch-screen allowing visitors to watch an animated video of the project and another on used nuclear fuel transportation. DVDs are available to take away. Much of this information is also available in the Municipal Office and the Library.
The request to provide information in the community does not commit the municipality to the project. The NWMO estimates that the nine-step site selection process will take between seven and ten years. Importantly, before any decision is taken, Wawa as a whole community must clearly demonstrate that we are willing to host the repository. This is not something that can be rushed. Over the coming months, should we decide to continue with the process, it will be critical that we base our decisions on our understanding of the best scientific and social research available and on our own aspirations for our community. Citizens are encouraged to take the opportunity to learn more about this project and become involved in the decision-making process.
For more information about the NWMO, and the site selection process, please visit: www.nwmo.ca/sitingprocess
