News Release
Federal Funding Awarded for Public Participation in the Environmental Assessment of the Midwest Uranium Mine Project
OTTAWA, October 24, 2007 - The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (the Agency) has awarded a total of $20,000 to support participation in the environmental assessment of the proposed Midwest Uranium Mine project in northern Saskatchewan. The recipients are the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation and the Inter-Church Uranium Committee Educational Co-operation (ICUCEC).
A Participant Funding Review Committee, independent of the environmental assessment process, was established to examine the request for funding received for this project. All of the Committee's recommendations are unanimous and are contained in their report. The report, along with further information on the project, is available on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry, under registry number 06-03-17519.
This funding is being provided to assist the recipients to participate in the comprehensive study process and/or in the review of the comprehensive study report to be submitted by the responsible authorities, namely the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Transport Canada and Natural Resources Canada. The funding is made available through the Participant Funding Program administered by the Agency.
The Midwest Project would involve the mining and milling of a uranium deposit located 700 km north of Prince Albert, near the eastern margin of the Athabasca basin. AREVA Resources Canada Inc. (formerly COGEMA) proposes to extend the mining and milling activities at their McClean Lake Operation to include the development of the Midwest ore deposit as an open pit mine. The proposed project would also include the construction of a reverse osmosis water treatment plant; the development of a dedicated haul road; the development of a pipeline; and increasing the production capacity of the JEB mill at the McClean Lake site.
The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency administers the federal environmental assessment process, which identifies the environmental effects of proposed projects and measures to address those effects, in support of sustainable development.
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Media may contact:
Lucille Jamault
Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
Tel.: 613-957-0434
Document Reference Number: 8