Update on URANIUM IN NEW BRUNSWICK

link on title and learn+= http://qslspolitics.blogspot.com/ do people know what good for
then look like god is telling you soothing here



In this update:

1. Grits drill deep on uranium promise
2. Times & Transcript Editorial: Public interest must come first

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1. Grits drill deep on uranium promise
Published Monday June 16th, 2008
A1
Adam Huras
Telegraph-Journal
http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/search/article/326913

MONCTON - Premier Shawn Graham says his government will bring forward
"significant policy changes" to address the public's concern over uranium
mining in the province by the end of the month.

In a speech to more than 1,000 of his Liberal counterparts at a party
fundraiser Saturday evening in Moncton, Graham talked mostly about what the
party has completed so far, as it gets closer to the midway point of its
mandate this fall.

But the premier did take time to address the uranium mining issue, which
has become a contentious subject in the province, venturing further than he
previously has in simply stating that the government would "re-examine"
current watershed and well field regulations.

"We need to be a government that is responsive to the concerns of New
Brunswickers," Graham said. "We know, for example, that there have been
concerns recently about uranium exploration in New Brunswick.

"Our governmental services must be more effective for the companies and
people."

The environment and natural resources departments are said to be currently
reviewing why an exploration company was able to drill in the off-limits
Turtle Creek watershed - which services 130,000 people with drinking water
- as was discovered last week.

More than 19,000 uranium claims have already been made across New Brunswick.

The government shut down a drilling operation after a tip from a member of
the public came forward.

Over the past several weeks, information sessions with concerned landowners
in Fredericton and Moncton turned into boisterous protests, with citizens
voicing a passionate distaste for uranium exploration.

The shutdown of drilling at Turtle Creek resulted in the province's
environment minister saying the government is reviewing its drilling
guidelines.

"The purpose of that re-examination is to determine if there are any
changes that could and perhaps should be made with a view to better protect
designated drinking water supplies in respect to any mining activity,"
stated the department's office.

In his speech, the premier also spoke of three projects he said his
government is actively pursuing, including a lobby to the federal
government for funding to complete the twinning of Route 1 highway.

Graham said the project will cost an investment of $275 million, something
a $2 billion federal gateway fund should help pay for.

"So far, they've earmarked $400 million for the Windsor-Detroit corridor
and another $1 billion for the Asia-Pacific Gateway," he said. "What's been
earmarked for Ontario and British Columbia is more than 10 times the amount
we're looking for to complete Route 1.

"We're asking for a fair deal."

Graham also said the province has made a request to the federal government
for $5.8 million over three years to help recruit French-speaking
immigrants to rural regions of New Brunswick.

He also wants to partner with Ottawa to develop a Centre for Advanced
Training technology at CFB Gagetown.

"CFB Gagetown is already a leader in sophisticated computer simulators,"
said Graham. "By partnering with the federal government, University of New
Brunswick, the National Research Council and the IT sector, CFB Gagetown
and New Brunswick can be a global leader in advanced training technologies."

Graham used the rest of his speech to breeze through everything from the
environment to health care to industry.

Graham praised his government's work in introducing a Climate Action Plan
while also signing agreements with the 12 largest industrial energy users
in the province.

He also highlighted investments in hospitals and the provinces economic
battle against "have-not" province status.

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2. Times & Transcript Editorial: Public interest must come first
Monday June 16th, 2008
http://timestranscript.canadaeast.com/search/article/327182

With news that the Department of Natural Resources has but one person who
performs site inspections of those firms exploring for minerals in the
province, which means such sites are inspected only on a "random as needed"
basis, any faith or trust the public had that their government has an
adequate process in place to protect their interests and the environment is
rapidly disappearing.

In fact, it is time to place a total ban on mineral exploration in
municipal watershed areas, whether the mineral sought is uranium, oil or
any other. Until such time as the government can reasonably assure the
public that it has a process and the people in place necessary to guarantee
that proper procedures are being used and intended safeguards actually mean
something, then it is not worth the risk of contaminating the public's
essential supplies of water.

It is fine to suggest, as the minister of the environment has, that the
public ought to keep an eye open for illegal or questionable activity by
those conducting drilling, but it offers scant comfort, particularly when
even the municipalities in whose watershed such activities are being
permitted are not notified of the fact or the details of what is occurring.
The entire process in a hit or miss affair, relying on nothing more than
good luck to keep crucial water supplies safe.

As Moncton Mayor Georges LeBlanc has correctly stated, this is the city's
backyard and protection of its water supply is a top priority. It can be no
other way.

Yet the Department of Environment doesn't actually do inspections, leaving
it to the Department of Natural Resources which is in something of a
conflict of interest since it is the same department that issues the
exploration and drilling permits in the first place. And it has one staff
member to oversee the entire province. The department has more PR staff to
attempt to explain away the obvious problems than it does staff actually
looking after citizens' best interests!

The public is right to be concerned: about uranium and all other mineral
exploration. It has been constantly assured that everything is O.K. and
there are guidelines and rules in place to prevent any problems, yet it now
knows that these are hardly worth the paper they are printed on because the
government has no good or reliable means to ensure things are done properly
and by the book.

Until such time such a process is in place, all such activity should be stopped.