Jeremy L. Dillon
RW Monitor
6/19/2015
A Canadian environmental group has asked a federal court to squash the Joint Review Panel’s environmental assessment report on Ontario Power Generation’s proposed deep geologic repository, the group announced late last week. Save Our Saugeen Shores, the group filing the appeal, argued the Panel failed to adhere to its bylaws, resulting in a biased report. The Joint Review Panel’s report backed the safety and environmental case for the low-level and intermediate-level repository. “If the Federal government is not prepared to respect its own environmental laws and processes, how can they expect Canadian industry and the Canadian public to do so?” SOS President Jill Tyler said in a statement. “Moreover, as we have stated in our Notice of Application to the Federal Court, the entire process disclosed a regrettable lack of detachment between the regulated and the regulator.”
The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, which works with the Joint Review Panel, declined to comment on the legal matter. “The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency is aware of the application for judicial review regarding the proposed DGR project, filed in Federal Court by Save our Saugeen Shores, Inc. on June 5, 2015,” CEAA spokesperson Lucille Jamault said. “As the matter is currently before the Court, it would not be appropriate to comment at this time.”
The Joint Review Panel submitted its report to the Minister of the Environment last month, starting a 120 day timeline towards a decision. The Canadian government, though, extended the decision timeline into December to allow for an additional public comment period. With the addition of an extra public comment period, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency extended the deadline until Dec. 2, 2015, to allow for consideration of comments in the Minister of the Environment’s decision. The focus of the public comment period centers on the potential conditions related to possible mitigation measures and follow-up requirements that could be necessary should the proposal receive authorization.
The proposed repository would be located beneath OPG’s Bruce nuclear facility in Kincardine, Ont. OPG plans on storing low and intermediate waste from its Bruce, Pickering, and Darlington power stations at the proposed repository, which would be located 680 meters (approximately 744 yards) below the surface in an isolated rock formation of shale and limestone. The project has drawn the ire of citizens on both sides of the border because of its proximity to the Great Lakes, one of the world’s largest sources of fresh water.
