COALITION LAUNCHES GREEN RIBBON CAMPAIGN

SEPTEMBER 14, 2009 - The Coalition for a Nuclear Free Alberta (CNFA), comprised of a number of Alberta grassroots organizations, launched its province-wide Green Ribbon campaign today to try and convince the provincial government that investing in green renewable energy sources is the right choice for meeting our future electricity needs rather than the the costly and risky nuclear option being considered.

"The government has stated it will set policy on nuclear before the end of the fall sitting of the Legislature," says Adele Boucher Rymhs, President of the Coalition. "We are asking Albertans to join us in saying no to nuclear power in this province and call on the government to show some leadership in encouraging investment in renewables." The Coalition backs the recommendation put forward earlier this year by the Pembina Institute to have an Expert Panel study renewable energy.

The slogan for the Green Ribbon campaign is
" A truly Green Energy Future ... does not include nuclear power".
The campaign is meant to make Albertans aware of the merits of renewable energy such as wind, solar, geothermal, small hydro and biofuels. The Coalition plans to distribute awareness ribbons and related information across the province in a movement leading to a mass Rally at the Legislature on October 27.

The Coalition does not see nuclear power as a solution to climate change when renewables can be brought on stream faster and more cheaply with far less risk to Albertan's health and the environment.

"The unlikelihood that any nuclear generated electricity will stay in this province means that Albertans will take all the risks, have our fresh water supply depleted and contaminated, bear the expense for costly transmission lines and be left with a long-term radioactive waste problem, while the power is sold into the American market," says Boucher Rymhs.

"Nuclear power is not experiencing the renaissance that was predicted - it is becoming more and more obvious all the time that renewable and sustainable energy is the future for the whole world," Boucher Rymhs added. "Alberta should not get left behind." A March 2009 survey conducted by Ipsos Reid showed that nearly 80% of Albertans support renewables.

The Green Ribbon campaign urges Albertans to speak to their MLA's and let them know that we do not want nuclear power in this province. If the Government chooses to create a healthy energy policy with investment incentives, green jobs and a competitive economy will follow.

JOIN US AT THE LEGISLATURE - EDMONTON - TUESDAY OCT 27 12:30PM

The Coalition for a Nuclear Free Alberta will be organizing transportation from major centres across the province for the planned Rally at the Legislature and encourages Albertans to take part. To purchase a Green Ribbon or to find out more about how to get involved, the public should check out the CFNA website at www. keepalberta nuclearfree.com *

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CONTACT A SUPPORTER NEAR YOU TO GET YOUR CNFA GREEN RIBBON

Calgary - Chris Hooymans - frontman@virtualcity.com - (403) 975-5343
and at the Arusha Centre - 106, 223 - 12 Avenue SW

Camrose - Danielle Thomas - d-thomas59@hotmail.com (780)-781-7900

Edmonton - Mandy Melnyk nuclearmovement@live.ca - (780) 650-2047

Grande Prairie - Norm Dyck kndyck@telusplanet.net - (780) 539-4977
or Joanna Moen - joannamoen@hotmail.com - (780) 402-6416
or Drennen Hallett - goldensheeppowerinc@gmail.com - (780)-532-0600

Hinton/Jasper - Art Jackson info@alpineart.ca - (780) 852-3709

Lethbridge - Tom Cain - tlc4peace@gmail.com - (403) 327-3365
- Rena Woss renaonlinenow@gmail.com - 403-795-9554
GET YOUR GREEN RIBBONS AT THESE LETHBRIDGE LOCATIONS:
•GUESTHOUSE RESTAURANT –  Crowsnest Trail East
•ROUND STREET CAFE – 5th Ave & 5th  Street
•ASCENT CYCLE – 18th Street and 3rd Avenue

Lloydminster - - Meggan Hougham - think37@gmail.com - (306)-344-4913

Peace River - Adele Boucher Rymhs coalition.nfa@abnorth.com - (780)-332-2554
- Brenda Brochu - brbrochu@telus.net (780) 618-1670

Red Deer - Ken Collier - kcollier@shaw.ca - (403) 342-7989
or - Priscilla Ristar - mscilly@gmail.com - 403-342-4671

Slave Lake - Jule Asterisk asterisk@telusplanet.net - (780)-805-3403

Whitecourt - - Melissa Brade - brades@mcsnet.ca - (780)-967-4225

or contact:

Adele Boucher Rymhs, President, CNFA - (780) 332-2554
adele@ keepalberta nuclearfree.com *

Mandy Melnyk, Chair, CNFA Media Committee - (780) 650-2047 nuclearmovement@live.ca

Proposed Nuclear Plant on Shaky Ground

May 25, 2009 - A nuclear plant should never be built at the current proposed site north near Peace River because it sits on the Whitemud Fault, a Peace River audience was told last week.

Jack Century, a petroleum geologist from Calgary, said the fault is part of a larger structure called the Peace River Arch.

“This is probably the most seismically active area in Alberta,” Century stated. The oval-shaped area is transected by numerous of geological faults extending from west of Fort St. John, B.C. to the western edge of Lesser Slave Lake.

Century said the largest earthquake yet recorded in Alberta occurred on the Peace River Arch in 1970 and measured 5.1 on the Richter Scale.

Dozens of earthquakes have occurred east of Fort St. John, beginning in 1984 and are still occurring. They have measured up to 4.3 on the Richter scale.

Century stated that these earthquakes were all precipitated by oilfield activity procedure called water flooding, which is used to enhance recovery of oil.

However, other oilfield activities can also precipitate earthquake activity if they occur over geological faults, he said. For example, a magnitude 3.8 earthquake occurred northwest of Fort McMurray in January of last year, near the intersection of two basement faults. It was precipitated by a bitumen extraction procedure called SAGD (Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage), which is sometimes used for deep bitumen deposits, he said.

Seismic activity that results from such change in pressure caused by oilfield activity is known as an “induced” earthquake. The Peace River Arch is in the midst of considerable oil field and tar sands activity and future extraction procedures could induce more earthquakes in fault areas.

Century stated that there would be great risks to building a nuclear plant in an area subject to induced earthquakes. Damage to a nuclear plant can occur from successive minor earthquakes even if the tremors are not considered “major”.

A series of small earthquakes can create vibration which damages pipes and other components of a nuclear plant, he said, that could cause leakage of radioactive materials or cause damage to the cooling systems.

Century is the president of JR Century Petroleum Consultants and a former supervisor of the Amoco Canada Geological Technical Group. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in geology from the University of Illinois and has written numerous professional papers on petroleum geology.

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 Brenda Brochu 780 624-1533