Grave Concerns regarding the Draft Guidlines for NWMO's Deep Geological Repository Project.

To whom this may concern,

Hello. My name is Liz Lott. I live in North Bay, Ontario.

I am writing to you out of grave concern for the Nuclear Waste Management Organization’s proposed deep geological repository for nuclear waste and the transport of this lethal material from Dryden to the Ignace area, our northern, highly unpredictable and dangerous highways.                                                

I have many concerns about the project; especially the NWMO’s method of selecting the site, and the unprecedented nature of the NWMO’s proposed Deep Geological Repository near Ignace.

My comments are about the Impact Assessment review process which began on January 5^th and the draft guidelines for the preparation of an impact statement which were posted for a thirty-day comment period on April 10^th.   

I was one of the more than 600+ comment submitters during the comment period on the Initial Project Description.

I strongly believe that the draft guidelines leave out many important issues and do not require enough information about the NWMO’s project, the many different components and activities that are part of the project, or the potential for negative effects.

Most definitely, long-distance transportation of the dangerous nuclear waste must be included in the project review. Great distances of transportation of the wastes is part of the project and the impact statement MUST include a detailed description.

A thorough project description must be included. Currently the draft guidelines do not require enough information about the project activities. For example, the guidelines must require a detailed description of the Used Fuel Packaging Plant, how the wastes will be transferred into the underground and placed in the emplacement rooms, how the containers will be monitored after they are underground, and how they will be retrieved or repaired in the event of a container failing. Releases to air and water at all stages of the project must be described, as well as their potential for harming humans and the environment.

I am urgently requesting that the impact statement guidelines be please strengthened to require a detailed description of the NWMO’s project and its activities and components.

Thank you for considering my comments and concerns.

Liz Lott, North Bay, Ontario.