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Relicensing at uranium mines in hands of federal regulator

Oct 3, 2013 | 4:47 PM

After Thursday, the relicensing of three Saskatchewan uranium mines is out of the public's hands.

Public hearings were held in relation to Cameco Corporation’s request for a 10-year relicensing of its Key Lake, Rabbit Lake, and McArthur River uranium mines.

They took place in La Ronge this week.

The three-day consultations included input from individuals, environmental groups, Aboriginal leaders from affected regions and Cameco.

The public had a chance to share concerns, ask questions and present information during that time. Some worried about health effects and radiation while others defended the environmental record of the mines.

On Thursday morning those present at La Ronge’s Kikinahk Friendship Centre heard from the Sierra Club. The environmental group submitted a controversial report that claimed Cameco exceeds legal limits on contaminants.

With the hearings wrapped up, seven members of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) will consider what they heard.

“We do take seriously comments that are made by the members of the public. Because we make an effort to be in the communities where there are larger nuclear facilities in Canada, we encourage the public to make their opinions known and voice their concerns,” said Aurèle Gervais, who’s in media relations with the CNSC.

The decision of whether to accept the application to renew the licenses for those three mines is up to these members.

They will have criteria to consider when creating the rules for the licenses. Firstly, the licenses must follow the CNSC and Nuclear Safety and Control Act’s regulations.

“The health and the protection of the environment is our primary role and that is how we regulate the facilities,” said Gervais.

These mines follow other regulations beyond those outlined in the licenses.

According to Gervais, the license won't necessarily look like it did previously.

“If there’s a sense that programs need to be strengthened, there could be any kind of measure or clause that could be included in the license that the licensee would have to meet.”

The commission members will spend the next six weeks deciding on rules that protect the environment, the public and workers at the three mines.

If the CNSC chooses not to relicense the facilities, they would not be able to operate.

Gervais added that CNSC’s trips to Western Canada are rare. The commission regulates uranium mines and nuclear power plants. Larger facilities like these three mines don’t exist any further to the west in Canada.

Most of the commission’s recent and future visits involved Ontario’s nuclear power plants.

To ensure that all conditions imposed on mines are enforced, the CNSC inspects each mine about 20 times over a five-year period.

claskowski@panow.com

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