Transportation Must Be Included in the Nuclear Impact Assessment

The Core Argument:  The Revell repository cannot exist without the transportation of high level nuclear waste.  Therefore, the highway route is not a "side issue" - it is the project itself.  To complete the DGR Impact Assessment while ignoring the 1,500 km of transportation required to reach the Revell site is "project splitting" and leaves corridor communities unprotected.

1. The "Main Street" Risk (Dryden)  In Dryden, Highway 17 is our Main Street.  We have sidewalks and local businesses lining the road for 2 kilometers.

   -   Constant Exposure:  Nuclear casks emit gamma rays.  While shielded, they still can release radiation allowing exposure equivalent to a chest X-ray for a man; or of 10 chest x-rays (for a young child) from a 2-metre distance.

  -  Cumulative Dose:  With 2-3 trucks daily for 50 years, this would no longer be a "brief encounter," rather, a chronic, multi-generational exposure for people living and walking along our downtown sidewalks.  

2.  National Economic Security    Highway 17 is Canada's only major east-west land artery.

  -  The Bottleneck:  A radiological accident could close this road indefinitely for decontamination.

  -  Economic Separation:  Millions of dollars of goods move here daily.  A nuclear spill wouldn't just stop traffic; it could physically separate the Eastern from Western Canada, compromising  national commerce and the supply of food, fuel, and medicine.  

3.  Medical Unpreparedness   Our local medical community is not equipped for a nuclear emergency.

  -  Training Gaps:  Rural hospitals lack the specialized decontamination suites and radiological training needed to treat nuclear contaminated patients without risking the entire ER, including staff and patients.

  -  The "Golden Hour":  If the highway closed due to a nuclear transport spill, all traffic, including ambulances could be blocked.  Specialized response teams from the long distances could take several hours to arrive at site.  Our local firemen (many volunteer), police, EMTs, doctors and nurses would be obligated to carry the risky burden for which they have not been funded for nor are trained to handle.

Conclusion     The infrastructure of Northern Ontario - plagued by ice, fog, moose, sharp curves, and heavy congestion - wasnot built for 50,000 nuclear shipments.  The DGR Impact Assessment must include all aspects regarding the transportation route  to ensure the safety, health, and economic security of the people of Dryden and all corridor communities.