The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission invite public comment on two documents - the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) guidelines and the draft Joint Review Panel (JRP) agreement - r related to the Ontario Power Generation proposed Deep Geologic Repository Project to store low and intermediate-level radioactive waste in the municipality of Kincardine, Ontario.
The d raft EIS guidelines identify the information needed to examine the potential environmental effects of the proposed project, as well as its requirements for a licence to prepare a site and for construction. After considering public comments, the EIS gu idelines will be finalized and provided to Ontario Power Generation.
The JRP agreement deals with the establishment of a panel to perform an assessment of the project's environmental impact and of the application for a licence to prepare a site and for subsequent construction – the first of several licences required by the Nuclear Safety and Control A ct and its regulations. It includes procedures for appointing the JRP members, the proposed terms of reference (i.e. responsibilities), and process for conducting the review. After taking comments into consideration, the draft agreement will be final ized and the panel will be appointed to review the project.
The two documents are available at www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca (Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry number 06-05-17520), at www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca or from the contact mentioned below.
Written comments, in either English or French, on the draft documents must be received no later than June 18, 2008, and be sent to:
Deep Geologic Repository Project
Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
160 Elgin Street, Place Bell Canada
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0H3
Te l.: 1-866-582-1884
Fax: 613-954-0941
E-mail: DGR.Review@ceaa-acee.gc.ca
To register as an interested party and to be kept informed of activities relating to the panel-review process, provide a full mailing address, an e-mail address or a fax number, to the above contact.
The project is a proposal by Ontario Power Generation (OPG) to prepare a site, and construct and operate a deep-geologic disposal facility on the Bruce Nuclear Site, wi thin the municipality of Kincardine. The Deep Geologic Repository would be designed to manage low and intermediate-level radioactive wastes, produced from the continued operation of OPG-owned nuclear generating stations at Bruce, Pickering and Darlington, Ontario. Low-level waste consists of industrial items that have become contaminated with low levels of radioactivity, during routine clean-up and maintenance activities at nuclear generating stations. Intermediate-level radioactive waste consists primari ly of used nuclear reactor components - such as the ion-exchange resins and filters used to purify reactor water systems.
