AREVA > Home > Publications > Communiqué > June
2003
Communiqué
McClean Licence Application:
Moving to End the Uncertainty
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The McClean Lake mill (top of photo) and TMF
have been operating and monitored for four years with no harm
to the environment. |
Last fall, when a federal court decision quashed McClean Lake's
1999 operating licence over a technicality, the threat of closure
felt very real for some 200 people working at the operation. Both
COGEMA Resources and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC)
immediately filed appeals, and then successfully applied for a "stay"in
the decision until the appeal is settled.
COGEMA Resources is confident that the arguments for the appeal
are sound and believes that the original decision should be overturned.
But until the court case has run its course, there is a cloud of
uncertainty over McClean Lake. In a move to protect the company,
customers, employees and contractors from this uncertainty, COGEMA
Resources has filed an application with the CNSC for a new operating
licence for the McClean Lake mine and mill. The application for
the new licence triggers a new environmental assessment of the project.
"This is an entirely redundant exercise," said COGEMA Resources
President and CEO Tim Gitzel. "McClean Lake has already been through
an eight-year environmental assessment and licensing process and
has delivered outstanding environmental performance since production
started four years ago."
In fact, the ruling that quashed the operating licence was not
based on the performance of the McClean Lake facility, but on a
technical question about the implementation of the federal government's
environmental assessment process. Due to the long time frames involved
in environmental assessment, Gitzel said it is prudent to have the
licensing process running parallel to the appeal."Undertaking another
environmental assessment and licensing process does nothing to change
the protection of the environment at McClean Lake. It is simply
insurance to protect our people and customers against risks created
by the September 2002 court decision," Gitzel said.
The new licence application is for exactly the same activities
and facilities currently operating at the McClean Lake site: the
mill, tailings management facility (TMF), mining operations, water
treatment plants, camp and other supporting facilities. COGEMA Resources
is asking that the existing licence be revoked when the new EA is
approved and a new licence is issued.
As part of the licence application and environmental assessment
process, the company has initiated public consultation programs
to give stakeholders an opportunity to ask questions, voice concerns
and participate in discussions.
"In early meetings with the Athabasca Economic Development and
Training Corporation and Athabasca Environmental Quality Committee,
we found that most comments and questions pertained to the impact
of the quashed licence on employment and business opportunities,"
said Bob Pollock, COGEMA Resources vice-president, environment,
health and safety. "There's general recognition that environmental
protection and economic opportunities go hand in hand. Most people
are confident we're doing a good job with the environment, so they
are more concerned about the economic impact."
Residents of Athabasca communities shared their opinions at a series
of meetings in early June, when Pollock and a team travelled to
Uranium City/Camsell Portage, Fond du Lac, Stony Rapids and Black
Lake.
At the sessions, residents were given a basic background on why
COGEMA Resources applied for a new licence and what is involved
in the new environmental assessment. "We wanted to make it clear
that we believe we have strong arguments in the appeal, but we are
applying as an insurance policy rather than continue to live with
any legal uncertainty," Pollock says. "We also wanted to know what
local residents had to say about the McClean Lake operation so that
we can be sure that the new EA covers all of the issues that are
important to Athabasca Basin residents."
Other public meetings are planned for Wollaston Lake, La Ronge
and Saskatoon. Watch the COGEMA Resources web site (www.cogema.ca)
for ongoing developments on the court case and licence application.
"Even our American competition friends were wishing us well. We
have their support and they want us to win for North America," said
team mate Kelly Kirkpatrick. "We were treated so well in Washington,
we would have felt like winners whatever the contest results."
The EA "screening" study will be conducted over the summer and
fall. Following that will be CNSC licensing hearings. In 2004, subject
to regulatory approvals, a new licence will be issued.
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