Port Hope's Mayor reacts to Radon claims

["Franta, Jaroslav" <frantaj@AECL.CA>]

Hmmm -- guess they never heard of Kerala,  Ramsar or Guarapari.....



Jaro 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^



Mayor reacts to claims

Northumberland Today

Wednesday, May 05, 2004 - 09:00

By Karen Lloyd



Local News - Port Hope's mayor wants to know what makes Pat McNamara such an

expert on low-level radioactive waste issues.



The Port Hope resident, in his latest trip to council Tuesday night,

discussed radon gas levels at Dr. L.B. Powers Public School.



He created controversy last week when he went public with findings he

claimed showed dangerous levels of radon gas at the Port Hope school.



On Tuesday night, Mr. McNamara made the case that the school board has known

all along that radon gas levels in the school are too high.



But Mayor Rick Austin, in front of a council chamber full of Cameco

employees, Low Level Radioactive Waste Management Office staff, experts in

the field and school board officials, questioned Mr. McNamara's credibility.



"You made some significant statements. I wonder if you can tell me what

makes you more qualified than Mark Stevenson, Dr. (Mohan) Rao and Glenn

Case?" Mayor Austin asked, referring to three people greatly involved with

Port Hope's low-level radioactive waste issues for a number of years.



Mr. McNamara replied that he simply understands the English language. He

said the report on Dr. Powers, which he said he was authorized to gain

access to through the school board, raised alarm bells in his head.



"You're not an expert then, that's what you're telling me?" Mayor Austin

asked.



In light of Mr. McNamara's statements made over the past week, the Kawartha

Pine Ridge District School Board, in co-operation with the LLRWMO, will be

conducting radon tests in Dr. Powers to confirm that it is safe for children

and staff.



"We would much rather err on the side of caution," Joe Hubbard, the board's

superintendent of administrative services, said Tuesday night. "As a result,

although monitoring of Dr. Powers over the past 28 years has shown radon gas

to be within safe levels, the board will once again work with the LLRWMO to

test radon gas in all areas of the school."



The three-season long monitoring program will begin this spring and continue

until the fall. The first set of results should be available within one week

after monitoring has begun, said Glenn Case, manager of engineering and

operations for the LLRWMO.



On Monday, a visual inspection of Dr. Powers' basement was done and, as a

result, some sealing is being done around some pipes protruding through the

basement wall. Mr. Hubbard also said Monday that the board will schedule

visual inspections annually.



Mr. McNamara, who has not pulled his child from Dr. Powers, suggested it's

possible the board was trying to forcing the school's closure last year

because of the radon gas. He also said there may be similar problems at

other schools and suggested any information pertaining to schools or public

property be readily available upon request.



"The problem is far more serious than (the) Walkerton (tainted water

tragedy) and has affected far more people," Mr. McNamara said. "Why hasn't a

public inquiry been called into the action of the nuclear industry and the

federal regulatory bodies?"



He also questioned the competency of the people managing the nuclear

industry and clean-up efforts in Port Hope.



In a five-minute break after Mr. McNamara's presentation, several audience

members argued with one another and councillors over the truth behind the

matter and many comments were made.