Panel Report

The proponent proposes to transport Cigar Lake ore from the mine to the McClean Lake site for milling, a distance of about 80 km. A haul road approximately 50 km in length would be constructed to connect the Cigar Lake mine site with Provincial Road 905, just south of Points North Landing. The ore would be transported for the remaining distance along Road 905 and, finally, along the private McClean Lake property access road. It would be shipped as an ore slurry enclosed in specially designed vessels, loaded four at a time, on large trucks designed in a B-train configuration.

In spite of the strictest precautions, and for a variety of reasons, road accidents may occur. The possibility of ore spills during transport, in particular at stream crossings, is of great concern to the public. The mitigation procedures and appropriate compensation arrangements in the event of environmental damage should be identified before the shipping of ore along this route is permitted.

11.1 Ore Transport Vessels

The design of the vessels to be used for ore transportation under northern conditions is of paramount importance. It is essential that the vessels not release radioactive material in the event of an accident while travelling from the mine to the mill. The design of the vessels must also consider difficulties which might arise during the unloading of the ore slurry. Unforeseen situations, such as blockages due to freezing or segregation of the ore while stored in the vessels, are likely to arise. The vessels should be designed to ensure such occurrences would not require manual mitigation, which could expose workers to high levels of radiation.

During its licensing process, the AECB will address the safe packaging and transport of the Cigar Lake ore. The regulations administered by the AECB require that the packaging standards for radioactive material match the hazards posed by the material being transported. The hearings were informed that existing standards for the packaging of high grade uranium ore are being upgraded and that these new standards would be incorporated into the licensing conditions for the packaging of Cigar Lake ore. As uncertainty may be created by any changes in the standards, the panel emphasizes the importance of public consultation by AECB during its licensing process.

11.2 Transportation Routes

11.2.1 Cigar Lake Access Road

Most of the route proposed for the Cigar Lake access road follows a corridor already disturbed by the existing Cigar Lake temporary road and power transmission lines. Provincial regulators would require the proposed route to be realigned in the vicinity of water bodies where it lies within the 31-metre shoreline buffer zone or, alternatively, that a shoreline stabilization program be carried out. As the road would be used to transport radioactive ore, the utmost effort should be made to ensure the final route chosen lies outside the shoreline buffer zone.

A major issue for northerners is whether the proposed road to the Cigar Lake site would be a public or private road. Government policy requires that all access roads be public, although restricted access may be permitted for exceptional circumstances. As the proposed road to the Cigar Lake site would originate at Provincial Road 905, there is concern that unrestricted access might lead to overharvesting of the wildlife resources of the area, particularly at Waterbury Lake. However, many members of the public also desire to use the road for other purposes. This issue is currently unresolved and it is our opinion that the most appropriate use of the road will become apparent only with time and experience. In any event, it is important that the public be consulted on this issue before a decision is reached.

11.2.2 Cumulative Use of Northern Highways

In hauling its ore to the McClean Lake mill, Cigar Lake would not be the only user of Provincial Road 905. The road already carries traffic for activities related to other mining projects and for Points North Landing. If other proposed developments are approved, it may also be used for the Midwest uranium mining project and as part of the main supply route for the Athabasca Basin communities using the proposed road from Points North Landing to Black Lake. Inevitably, Road 905 will carry many other users, including Athabasca Basin residents, tourists and mine employees and suppliers. In short, heavy cumulative use of the stretch of Road 905 proposed as part of the Cigar Lake ore haul corridor is a probability. Such use will produce environmental impacts such as higher levels of noise and of traffic-generated dust. Further, much of this traffic would consist of multi-axle vehicles transporting hazardous or radioactive material, and requiring special safety considerations.

It is essential that northern roads, such as Provincial Road 905, be maintained at a safety standard appropriate to the volume and nature of traffic travelling on them. Use of Road 905 in the vicinity of the mines should be monitored to ensure that the maintenance standards and design criteria applied to the road are adequate to ensure safety for all users. The results of the monitoring should be considered in public discussions on the road improvement program.

11.2.3 Highway 102 and Provincial Road 905

The public expressed concerns over public safety on Highway 102 and Provincial Road 905, particularly with respect to the continuous deterioration in the condition of the roads. It was reported that the roads were not designed to support the size and frequency of loads currently carried on them; that road maintenance activities have not kept up with use of the roads; and that the money spent on road maintenance has decreased in spite of an increase in traffic. There is also concern over the capability of municipal emergency response services to respond appropriately to road accidents involving hazardous materials.

Northerners are also concerned that the heavy use of the roads by multi-axle vehicles could be having a negative impact on the tourism industry of the region. Poor road conditions, combined with heavy use by big trucks, would discourage travel by tourists and thereby interfere with attempts to diversify the northern economy.

A financial agreement has been implemented between the Saskatchewan Government and Cameco, Cogema and their partners for the purpose of upgrading Highway 102 and Provincial Road 905. During hearings held in the north, the public emphasized the need for northern communities to participate in discussions on the road upgrade program.

11.3 Conclusions and Recommendations

It is recommended that the public be consulted by federal and provincial authorities on several transportation-related decisions: on the development of accident contingency plans; on the licensing of transportation containers and vehicles; on decisions regarding the proposed Cigar Lake access road, particularly public access; on the highway upgrade program and on the eventual decommissioning of roads. These consultations should take the form of public meetings, organized by the provincial authorities, and be held in the northern communities impacted significantly by transportation-related activities.

It is recommended that the volume and nature of traffic using Provincial Road 905 in the vicinity of the mines be monitored periodically to determine whether the design and maintenance standards applied to the roads are adequate to ensure the safety of all travellers.