Canadian leader asked to reject nuke waste plan

Published 2:25 pm Saturday, November 7, 2015

DETROIT — Members of Congress from Michigan are urging Canada’s newly elected prime minister not to allow burial of nuclear waste less than a mile from Lake Huron.

Sens. Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow joined Democratic Rep. Dan Kildee in sending a letter Thursday to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. It asks him to reject a plan by Ontario Power Generation to entomb radioactive waste 2,230 feet below the earth’s surface near Kincardine, Ontario.

The previous Canadian administration had planned to decide by Dec. 2 whether to permit the disposal facility.

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The power company said the waste can be stored there safely and there’s virtually no chance it will pollute the lake. Critics said it’s not worth the risk.

Kildee, Stabenow and Peters previously introduced legislation seeking a study by an international agency.