Voluntary Planning

Your Vision:
My vision is that we apply sound and careful reasoning to the use of our natural resources. As such, I have several concerns about the management of natural resources in NS. I am writing as a physician, someone who is concerned about the health of Nova Scotians. First of all, I want a legislated ban on uranium exploration and mining in this province, as in British Columbia. Allowing uranium to be mined exposes the population to unnecessary health risks, including cancer, kidney disease and genetic defects that can affect generations to come. In the past 10 years, scientific evidence informs us that this practice is damaging to human health and to the environment. I am guided by the principle, "First do no harm". I urge the DNR to use this "precautionary principle" in managing natural resources in NS. That means that the absence of full scientific certainty should not be used as a reason to go ahead with an action or policy that may cause serious or irreversible harm to the public or the environment.

Strengths:
I applaud the government's concern about radon levels in public and private buildings in NS. I am aware of the extensive testing that has been done in public buildings, including schools. It is well-established that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer. Health Canada recently lowered the standard for acceptable radon levels by 4 times because it realized that people were actually more easily susceptible to the gas than previously thought. RADON IS CLASSIFIED AS A KNOWN CARCINOGEN. So, I see the provincial government on the one hand, acknowledging this by "pleading with Nova Scotians to take it seriously", and perform radon level testing in their homes. Then, on the other hand, the government is allowing uranium exploration, which is a major cause of radon gas exposure. This is baffling and inconsistent.

Barriers and Issues:
The lack of acknowledgement (or perhaps awareness) on the part of the DNR and provincial government that, those exposed to uranium and daughter isotopes like miners have shown objective evidence of serious genotoxic damage through chromosome aberration analysis. These internal radionuclides are increasingly being shown to cause harm out of proportion to the doses calculated by the conventional risk model used by the International Commission on Radiological Protection.

Community's Priorities:
The priority here is to NOT risk generations of genetic and environmental damage for short term profit. Even the short-term profitability of uranium mining is questionable when we factor in the costs of dealing with the negative health impact on Nova Scotians, as well as the enormous bill that tax payers would be footing for the containment and clean-up of uranium mining waste. There has never been a tailings receptacle that has not leaked, not a mining company that has adequately taken care of its waste. That is obvious when one checks the public record. I do not want that legacy left for future generations.

Guiding the health and sustainability:
First do no harm.
Apply the precautionary principle.
Ask yourself who is telling you that mining uranium is safe. If it is someone with a vested interest, think again.
Do not bargain away the health of future Nova Scotians.
Be an example of environmental and human health stewardship, like BC.

Additional Comments:
In general, to protect our natural resources, we all need to reduce consumption and support habitat protection. We must apply the wisest practices to managing our natural resources. Look to the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) program which is based on the premise that responsible environmental behavior and sound business decisions can co-exist.

Also, the process that was set up for the meetings was problematic. Poor advertising to the general public weighs heavily in favour of industry attendance.

Also, the splitting up of these 4 topics is inappropriate, given that all are connected. Splitting up of the attendees is also inappropriate, and not indicative of a true desire for open public feedback.