Northern Metis Interested In Nuclear Waste Site

Northern Metis Interested In Nuclear Waste Site

Thursday, August 12, 2010 at 15:00

 

 

Local leaders in Pinehouse are exploring the idea of hosting a nuclear waste storage site.

 

Metis Nation – Saskatchewan area director Louis Gardiner was part of a delegation from the community that met with Nuclear Waste Management Organization officials in Toronto earlier this week.

 

Gardiner says the region he represents — Northern Region III — has told the federal agency it is interested in the potential of a nuclear waste storage site established in its area.

 

However, Gardiner says leaders have to get the green light from area residents before going any further.

 

NWMO spokesman Jamie Robertson says while the discussion with the Pinehouse delegation was promising, but the community has not made a decision yet on whether it will apply for consideration.

 

Robertson says his agency is in discussions with a few Saskatchewan communities, but only a community in Ontario has officially filed a formal expression of interest.

 

The NWMO is looking for a site 100 hectare in size with certain geographic criteria.

 

The facility will cost between $16 billion and $24 billion to build — money set aside by the companies that are generating the nuclear waste.

 

Pinehouse officials are reserving comment.