OTTAWA, June 18, 2013 – The Joint Review Panel for the Deep Geologic Repository Project for Low and Intermediate Level Radioactive Waste (DGR) today announced it has scheduled the public hearing for the project. The Panel has determined that the Environmental Impact Statement and the documents in support of the application for a Licence to Prepare a Site and Construct, along with additional information supplied by Ontario Power Generation, is sufficient to proceed to a public hearing.
The public hearing will begin on September 16, 2013, at a venue in the project area. More information on the location and dates of the hearing sessions, as well as a schedule will be available in advance of the hearing.
The public hearing will give participants the opportunity to hear about the project and its potential environmental effects and to provide their views to the Panel. The hearing will also allow the proponent to present an overview of the project. Any person may attend the public hearing as an observer.
Public Hearing Procedures that describe how to participate in the hearing are being issued by the Panel today. Members of the public, Aboriginal groups, government organizations and other participants that wish to make a written submission or an oral presentation at the hearing are required to complete a Request to Participate Form and send it to the Panel by July 5, 2013. The Hearing Procedures and the Request Form are available on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry, reference number 17520.
If you have any questions about the review process or participating in the hearing, contact:
Debra Myles, Panel Co-Manager
c/o Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
160 Elgin Street, 22nd Floor
Ottawa ON K1A 0H3
Tel.: 613-957-0626 or 1-866-582-1884
Email: DGR.Review@ceaa-acee.gc.ca
Kelly McGee, Panel Co-Manager
c/o Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
PO Box 1046, Station B –
280 Slater Street, Ottawa ON K1P 5S9
Tel.: 613-947-3710
Fax: 613-995-5086
Email: OPG-DGR@cnsc-ccsn.gc.ca
Documents submitted or generated as part of the review will be considered public and posted on the online public registry.
The public hearing will be webcast live through the CNSC website. Written transcripts will be posted to the public registry as soon as they are available.
Within 90 days of the close of the review record, the Joint Review Panel will submit an environmental assessment report to the federal Minister of the Environment outlining its conclusions, rationale and recommendations. Subject to the Government of Canada's decision, the Panel may then be authorized to make a decision on the application for a Licence to Prepare a Site and Construct the DGR.
The DGR is a proposal by Ontario Power Generation to prepare a site, and construct and operate a facility for the long-term management of low and intermediate level radioactive waste at the Bruce Nuclear site, within the Municipality of Kincardine, Ontario. Low level radioactive waste consists of industrial items that have become contaminated during routine clean up and maintenance activities at nuclear generating stations. Intermediate level radioactive waste consists primarily of used nuclear reactor components, ion-exchange resins, and filters used to purify reactor systems. Used nuclear fuel will not be stored or managed in the DGR.
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