From: bmueller@netkaster.ca
Sent: January 16, 2009 10:51 AM
To: lpayette@nirb.ca
Cc: bmueller@netkaster.ca
Subject: Uravan Garry Lake Project Nirb file 08EN37

I am concerned that should the   Garry Lake Project application be approved there would be a serious impact on the global health of Inuit and their families in Baker Lake.  Health Canada recently published that the diet of 68% of the Inuit population in Nunavut consists of country food.  That included all traditional/country food, including marine mammals. Baker Lake is the only inland community and the main traditional/country food sources for the people is caribou and fish. The health benefits of Inuit maintaining a diet country foods (caribou, fish etc.) are well documented. The cost of living in the north is extremely high, not everyone is able to access foodmail for various reasons and the provision of country food reduces the cost of living for people.  

The Garry Lake Project is to establish a uranium mine.  There are many dangers associated with uranium mining, the by products which contaminate the environment (land & water), the radioactive waste produced by the mining and milling process and the potential for radioactive materials leaching into our water systems, to name a few. Should this happen it will impact negatively on the health of people in the community whose diet consists of country food (Dowie 2009). 

My research tells me that there is no safe way to mine uranium. 
-During the mining and processing 'yellow cake', the resulting waste rock and sand, getting it from the mining site to the shipping point increases greatly carbon emissions into the air.  
-Global warming is a reality that we cannot ignore.  
-The radioactive waste rock and sand, where will it be stored.  What will prevent the waste from being blown throughout the barrenlands, caribou calving areas and over the lakes and rivers.  We do get winds upto 100km/hr.  
-Leaching from tailings ponds to the surrounding land, lakes and rivers is a reality and well documented as well. Ontario recently, put a moratorium on uranium mining 200km from Ottawa because the site was too close to the water shed that provides drinking water to Ottawa.   Both BC and NS have moratoriums on uranium mining for the entire provinces for similar reasons.  
-How can we be sure any uranium sold will be used only for peaceful purposes.  When I buy something I decide what to do with it.

I urge you to not approve Uravan's application for the Garry Lake Project.

Barbara Mueller