Optimism Felt About North Shore Refinery - The Sault Star, 1981

Optimism Felt About North Shore Refinery

North Shore municipal officials continue to be optimistic for Eldorado Nuclear Ltd.'s refinery plans following a meeting with federal officials Monday.

Although the company has spent more than $3 million on site preparation, the Atomic Energy Control Board has still to approve the plans. A decision is expected in two weeks, following a delay of more than a month for members of the board to weigh the concerns of several groups protesting the location of the plant.

"Nothing has changed," said Chief Camille Chiblow, of the Mississaugi River Indian Reserve, one of six officials who met with AECB Chairman Jon Jenikens, four staff members and MP Roy MacLaren, parliamentary secretary to energy minister Marc Lalonde.

The group went to Ottawa to reaffirm its support for the refinery and discuss concerns regarding delays in the approval process, said Robert Gallagher, mayor of Blind River. The meeting went well, he said.

"The way the meeting went, it seems to indicate the thing will be approved," Chief Chiblow said.

"No information we know of indicates the plant shouldn't be located where they plan to, "he said.

Several weeks ago representatives of seven concerned citizens groups from Blind River, Manitoulin Island and other areas of the province met with the board to ask that approval be delayed until environmental health and safety questions could be answered.

"It's a case of a few people doing a lot of lobbying," said Dr. Maurice Foster, MP for Algoma. Dr. Foster arranged Monday's meeting and accompanied the delegation.

"I don't see any reason for further delay — construction should go ahead forthwith. The information I've been given is that they've met all the regulations of the intergovernmental affairs committee, which is comprised of eight agencies."

Meanwhile, another group has announced its support for the plant site and Mayor Gallagher's efforts to have approval granted.

In a special meeting held late last week the Blind River Liberal association voted .unanimously to support the mayor in asking for approval.