Emergency Situation on Atta

RESOLUTION NO. 2000-08-18

EMERGENCY SITUATION TN ATTAWAPISKAT

WHEREAS the presence of diesel fuel contamination under the Attawapiskat First Nation elementary school and water plant; and

WHEREAS the Chief and Council closed J.R. Nakogee Elementary School on May 11, 2000 as the 500 children, staff and teachers have been exposed to benzene, a carcinogenic substance, and have exhibited symptoms of poisoning; and

WHEREAS the Chief and Council have therefore halted excavation work to expand the existing water plant, which does not meet the ctLrrent needs of the community; and

WHEREAS the diesel fuel contamination of approximately 130,000 litres has existed in the soil for a period of twenty years, when the Department of Public Works turned the land over to Attawapiskat for construction of the school and the water plant;

WHEREAS the people of Attawapiskat, for the past 3 years, have been unable to use tap water, as the water is untreated and the people must obtain their drinking and cooking water from Culligan units in the hospital, the

school, and the water plant; and

WHEREAS the Chief and Attawapiskat representatives met with the Minister of Indian Affairs on June 7, 2000 to demand that:

the diesel fuel contamination be cleaned up;

bottled water be made available in the community

poiiable facilities be installed for the August school tenn;

the elementary school be demolished and replaced with a new school; and

the new water plant be constructed with the intake originating from a source at the nver;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that we, the Chiefs in Assembly, support Attawapiskat First Nation's efforts to protect the health and safety of its children and to obtain clean and safe water for its people.

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