McNamara: Impacts of Peace River Nuclear Proposal
Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 6:20 pmImpacts of Peace River Nuclear Proposal
by Pat McNamara April 01, 2009
The impact of the proposed Peace River reactors has already been devastating to the Weberville community. People's lives have been turned upside down, people are getting sick and members of the community are fighting among themselves. This situation will continue to get worse as the decision on building the reactors is still four years away.
The community surrounding the proposed site is no longer functioning as it did a few months ago. Neighbours feel betrayed by their friends who have optioned their property to Bruce Power. Neighbours who had worked together and shared equipment no longer speak to each other. Their children were best friends who no longer do anything together.
The most common concern voiced by community members is that their lives have been put on hold. No one wants to undertake improvements to their farms without knowing the fate of the reactors. The value of their land has already started to fall despite Bruce Power's assurances that land values would triple as a result of the project.
About half of the local residents have said they will put a 'for sale' sign up on their property if the reactors go ahead; some are afraid of the dangers from the reactors while others are concerned they will not be able to sell the food they grow. Some farmers have already received the news they dreaded from their buyers. One organic oats grower was told by his buyer that he would not purchase his product if the reactors were built near his farm. A cattle producer was told the same thing about the calves he raises for sale.
Others have not recovered from the shock of the original announcement. They have become depressed and incapacitated from this assault on the way of life they have built for themselves. Several people have had to seek medical treatment as a result. As a father told me: "I've not had a restful sleep since the announcement on Nov. 13. I'm taking tylenol to alleviate the stress headaches from sleep deprivation." A mother responded: "I have not been able to give my family my undivided attention because of the concerns this has on our future. Our teenage son could make people laugh until their sides hurt, now it's like he has no humor in him."
Put yourself in their shoes. Many are already making plans to leave the community. Friendships and family connections which have been nurtured for a lifetime will be severed. People you depended on for help will no longer be nearby. It will not be safe for their children to walk to the neighbours with the traffic from 5000 construction workers on a road that now sees five cars per day. A monetary settlement may be available to pay for the farm but there is no way of compensating people for the quality of life issues which make living here so special.
These "project impacts" will not be included in the environmental assessment for this project. These impacts will not be counted as they cannot attach a dollar value to them, yet they are just as real and damaging as if you had a car accident. How will people be compensated for these losses?
What value do you place on twenty-year friendships?
What value do you place on grandparents living a mile down the road?
What value do you place on knowing the fishing holes?
What value do you place on being able to let your child walk alone to the neighbours?
What value do you place on living in a community so safe that you are able to leave your doors unlocked?
What value do you place on being able to hike, snowmobile or skate on adjacent properties?
What value do you place on a home you feel safe in?
Every family in the Weberville community has already suffered because of the announcement of this project. None of this suffering or loss of community is being taken into account by Bruce Power or the provincial government. Bruce Power dropped a "social bomb" into the middle of the community and then went back to Ontario to let the local people fight it out among themselves and suffer in silence.
Everyone from the children to the elderly are being affected. Plans and lives are changing in a short period of time. The last word will be given to a ten year old girl who lives beside the proposed reactor site. She was told at Bruce Power's public meetings that there was very little extra risk of dying from cancer from living near a reactor. She was also informed that recent cancer studies around reactors showed increased risk. She said: "If I raise my family here, my children may have two times the risk of cancer/leukemia. If it was your child that died of cancer, would that be one too many?
My question: "Why are ten year old children worrying about nuclear contamination in a farming community in Northern Alberta"
Pat McNamara
entwork@hotmail.com
"Pat McNamara is a former resident of Port Hope now living in Grande Prairie Alberta"
by Pat McNamara April 01, 2009
The impact of the proposed Peace River reactors has already been devastating to the Weberville community. People's lives have been turned upside down, people are getting sick and members of the community are fighting among themselves. This situation will continue to get worse as the decision on building the reactors is still four years away.
The community surrounding the proposed site is no longer functioning as it did a few months ago. Neighbours feel betrayed by their friends who have optioned their property to Bruce Power. Neighbours who had worked together and shared equipment no longer speak to each other. Their children were best friends who no longer do anything together.
The most common concern voiced by community members is that their lives have been put on hold. No one wants to undertake improvements to their farms without knowing the fate of the reactors. The value of their land has already started to fall despite Bruce Power's assurances that land values would triple as a result of the project.
About half of the local residents have said they will put a 'for sale' sign up on their property if the reactors go ahead; some are afraid of the dangers from the reactors while others are concerned they will not be able to sell the food they grow. Some farmers have already received the news they dreaded from their buyers. One organic oats grower was told by his buyer that he would not purchase his product if the reactors were built near his farm. A cattle producer was told the same thing about the calves he raises for sale.
Others have not recovered from the shock of the original announcement. They have become depressed and incapacitated from this assault on the way of life they have built for themselves. Several people have had to seek medical treatment as a result. As a father told me: "I've not had a restful sleep since the announcement on Nov. 13. I'm taking tylenol to alleviate the stress headaches from sleep deprivation." A mother responded: "I have not been able to give my family my undivided attention because of the concerns this has on our future. Our teenage son could make people laugh until their sides hurt, now it's like he has no humor in him."
Put yourself in their shoes. Many are already making plans to leave the community. Friendships and family connections which have been nurtured for a lifetime will be severed. People you depended on for help will no longer be nearby. It will not be safe for their children to walk to the neighbours with the traffic from 5000 construction workers on a road that now sees five cars per day. A monetary settlement may be available to pay for the farm but there is no way of compensating people for the quality of life issues which make living here so special.
These "project impacts" will not be included in the environmental assessment for this project. These impacts will not be counted as they cannot attach a dollar value to them, yet they are just as real and damaging as if you had a car accident. How will people be compensated for these losses?
What value do you place on twenty-year friendships?
What value do you place on grandparents living a mile down the road?
What value do you place on knowing the fishing holes?
What value do you place on being able to let your child walk alone to the neighbours?
What value do you place on living in a community so safe that you are able to leave your doors unlocked?
What value do you place on being able to hike, snowmobile or skate on adjacent properties?
What value do you place on a home you feel safe in?
Every family in the Weberville community has already suffered because of the announcement of this project. None of this suffering or loss of community is being taken into account by Bruce Power or the provincial government. Bruce Power dropped a "social bomb" into the middle of the community and then went back to Ontario to let the local people fight it out among themselves and suffer in silence.
Everyone from the children to the elderly are being affected. Plans and lives are changing in a short period of time. The last word will be given to a ten year old girl who lives beside the proposed reactor site. She was told at Bruce Power's public meetings that there was very little extra risk of dying from cancer from living near a reactor. She was also informed that recent cancer studies around reactors showed increased risk. She said: "If I raise my family here, my children may have two times the risk of cancer/leukemia. If it was your child that died of cancer, would that be one too many?
My question: "Why are ten year old children worrying about nuclear contamination in a farming community in Northern Alberta"
Pat McNamara
entwork@hotmail.com
"Pat McNamara is a former resident of Port Hope now living in Grande Prairie Alberta"