Mr. Johnson should put the constituents in this riding first by
calling for an expansion in green power instead of sticking
residents with the high costs and radioactive wastes that come with
rebuilding ageing nuclear reactors," Cox said.
Cox held a news conference outside Johnson's campaign
headquarters in Lindsay to raise the issue of the McGuinty
government's nuclear plans during the Haliburton-Kawartha
Lakes-Brock by election on March 5th. Cox also delivered a window
sign for Johnson's office outlining the top 10 reasons to replace
the Pickering reactors with green power which include: high cost,
safety concerns, radioactive waste, uranium mining and prospecting
and the diversion of funding from green energy.
The McGuinty government wants nuclear power to continue
providing 50 per cent of electricity, creating a "nuclear ceiling"
in the electricity system. The ceiling caps new renewable energy
projects at 5,312 megawatts to allow space on the transmission grid
for 14,000 megawatts of nuclear electricity. The proposed Green
Energy Act does not remove the government's self-imposed
ceiling.
"If the McGuinty government wants to be a true leader in green
energy, the first step is to replace the Pickering B reactors with
clean energy. You cannot build new reactors, mine uranium to fuel
them and create radioactive waste and still be considered a green
energy leader."
Lindsay is one of 20 communities in central and eastern Ontario
that have come out against uranium prospecting. By saying no to the
Pickering reactors, Johnson would show support for his own
community and other communities.
Anyone concerned about uranium mining in Ontario can connect the
dots - nuclear generation builds the market which drives uranium
prospecting. Saying no to Pickering is a vote for Johnson's own
community."
Ontario is ignoring the green initiatives of countries like
Germany which has 20,000 megawatts (MW) of wind power and is
shutting down reactors. In 2008, Germany installed over 1,500 MW of
wind power. By comparison, rebuilding 2,000 MW at Pickering would
take at least seven years. This generation could easily be replaced
by green power.
The McGuinty government's Green Energy Act is an exercise in
greenwashing if they proceed with their nuclear expansion plans,"
said Cox. "Tonnes of radioactive waste, that will be toxic for
thousands of years, are stockpiled now at the Pickering reactor
site on the shores of Lake Ontario. What is green about that?"
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