Coalition of Environmental, Sports, Labor and Religious Groups Hold a “Protect Lake Erie Flotilla of Boats” Urging New Yorkers to Support Digging Up Waste at West Valley Nuclear Waste Site
Scientists Find Leaving Buried Waste on Site Poses Threat to Great Lakes
Public has 12 Days Left to Tell Agencies a 1% Cleanup is Just Not Enough–only a Full Cleanup will do
WHAT: News Conference with “Protect Lake Erie Flotilla of Boats.” Groups call on public to help save the Great Lakes from nuclear contamination by sending comments in support of a full waste excavation cleanup of West Valley nuclear waste site. The federal and state governments are proposing to clean up just 1% of dangerous nuclear waste on site and leave the rest – vast amounts of nuclear waste – at the site for 30 years and probably longer.Independent Scientists found leaving leaking buried waste on site poses threats to Lakes Erie and Ontario, and the safest, most cost effective way to protect the Great Lakes is to dig up 100% of radioactive waste.
WHEN: Saturday, May 30th, 2009, 11:00 AM News Conference
WHERE: Erie Basin Marina, (near The Hatch restaurant), Buffalo, NY.
From Buffalo: Take Church St. to Lower Terrace St. Right onto Erie St. Follow into Marina through security post. Make right into first parking lot. Boat launch in right corner of lot.
INVITED SPEAKERS: Senator Catharine Young (R-Olean); Father Greg Dobson, St. Mary of the Angels, Olean; Sr. Eileen O’Connor, RSM Mercy Sisters, Diane D’Arrigo, Nuclear Information & Resource Service; Art Klein, Sierra Club Niagara Group; and Brian Smith, Citizens’ Campaign for the Environment.
On May 30th, a broad coalition of groups will alert the public that they have 9 days left to send comments to the Department of Energy and NYS Energy Research & Development Agency in support of a Great Lakes-protective cleanup with full waste excavation. People can go to www.westvalleyeis.com to send comments in support of a “Protect the Great Lakes Cleanup Plan” by June 8th. Scientists found in a state-funded independent study that over time leaking nuclear waste from the site can pollute Lakes Erie and Ontario and harm public health, environment and economy in the U.S. and Canada.
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Adirondack Mountain Club Niagara Frontier Group
Catholic Charities, Center for Health
Environment & Justice
Citizens’ Environmental Coalition
Citizens’ Campaign for the Environment
Concerned Citizens of Cattaraugus County
Nuclear Information & Resource Service
Sierra Club Niagara Group
WNY Council on Occupational Safety & Health