Panel Report

11.1 Contamination of Air, Water and the Food Web

A fundamental concern of many northerners is the possibility that uranium mining and milling operations might poison the air that they breathe, the water they drink, and the country foods they eat. Some of the attempts to quantify and monitor these risks have been described in the previous section.

That is what our elders want... They want that assurance that the fish, the water, the potable drinking water that is available in the north right now, is there 100 years from now -- 200 years from now.

Vice-Chief Allan Adam, Transcript of McArthur River Public Hearings, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, September 19, 1996, p. 118.

A food chain study, involving the Cumulative Effects Monitoring Working Group, was done on caribou harvested by local hunters in the Wollaston Lake area.⁷³ The objective of this study was to measure radionuclide body-burdens and to assess transfers of radionuclides from lichen to caribou, and potentially to humans. The data obtained suggested that the radiation dose from eating Wollaston-area caribou meat is similar to the dose received from eating caribou meat harvested in an area of the Northwest Territories where there is no uranium mining. The panel encourages government agencies to continue the involvement of local area residents in such monitoring programs.

The available information suggests that there has been no detectable regional contamination of the food web in northern Saskatchewan. It appears that there is no danger, at the present time, associated with the consumption of locally grown plants, meat, or fish. This is fortunate because locally harvested foods continue to make an important contribution to the diet of many people in northern Saskatchewan. It is important that precautions be taken to eliminate the possibility of future contamination of the food web. Protection of the food web by continuous monitoring and local mitigation would be far more acceptable (and less expensive) than would be the efforts required to restore a clean environment, should contamination become widespread.

11.2 Environmental Quality Committees

In response to a recommendation from this panel, the Government of Saskatchewan established three regional Environmental Quality Committees (EQCs) in 1995.⁷⁴ The South Central Environmental Quality Committee represents the region in which the sites under consideration in this review are located. Its initial activities included a visit to both the Key Lake and the McArthur River sites and a review of the environmental impact statement submitted for the McArthur River Project. Representatives of the South Central and the Athabasca EQCs submitted several recommendations to the panel, all of which have received careful consideration in the preparation of this report.

The panel’s impression is that Cameco, the various provincial government departments and the communities are taking these committees seriously and attempting to actively involve them in various monitoring activities. This approach is welcome, because the effectiveness of the EQCs depends on the opportunities provided for them to work in concert with the mine operators, the government regulatory agencies and the communities which they represent.

Efforts continue to ward full and active participation by all communities in the north. As well, we continue to identify and facilitate opportunities to increase the “hands-on ” activities 0 f the Environmental Quality Committees in monitoring the biophysical and socio-economic environments around northern mines, and in the north in general.

Ray McKay, Transcript of McArthur River Public Hearings, Regina, Saskatchewan, September 4, 1996, p. 123.

The panel fully endorses these committees and commends Cameco and government departments for their willingness to work with, and support, the EQCs. We do, however, have two specific recommendations with regards to the sustainability of the Environmental Quality Committees. The first is that adequate, continuing financial support must be provided to allow the committees to effectively address the various issues related to uranium mining in northern Saskatchewan. Future activities in which EQC involvement is desirable require that committee members have an increased understanding of the issues. If the EQCs are to fulfil their mandate effectively, it will be necessary to dedicate additional resources for relevant training and information sessions for their members. It is also important, for obvious reasons, that the EQCs do not become dependent upon grants from the mining companies to support their activities.

The second recommendation is related to the need for the Atomic Energy Control Board to further develop its EQC support and participation. The AECB plays a unique role in the regulation of the uranium mining industry. It has much to offer to, and much to gain from, strong involvement in EOC activities. Its participation is essential to their continued success.

11.3 The Athabasca Working Group

Prompted by a desire for better communication with the people of the Athabasca region, the presidents of Cameco and Cigar Lake met with 23 community leaders and representatives from Camsell Portage, Uranium City, Fond du Lac, Stony Rapids, Black Lake and Wollaston Lake in March 1993. A discussion of their concerns identified three major issues:

• a desire for more opportunities for jobs, training and business, but not at the expense of the environment;
• a need for a written guarantee stating that companies would protect the environment and compensate for any damage that might result from mining activity; and,
• a desire to receive benefits and revenues beyond those of jobs, training and business opportunities.

The participants agreed that discussions should continue until a formal written agreement is reached on these three issues.

This led to the formation of the Athabasca Working Group (AWG). Cogema Resources joined the process in January, 1994, making this the primary means of communication between all of the uranium mine operators and the Athabasca residents. The AWG consists of two members from each of the six Athabasca communities, and at least one representative each from Cameco, Cigar Lake, and Cogema. The group wishes to remain free of political involvement; government officials, and officers from the M&is Society, Prince Albert Grand Council, and the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations are not included, except by invitation.

The AWG has no established rules or procedures; it is simply a forum for discussing and negotiating issues between the uranium mines and the Athabasca communities. The selection of issues to be discussed is determined by the consensus of the community representatives, and any agreements reached would be formulated as legally binding documents.

So we are speaking on behalf of the people in our communities, representing our communities, not the mining sector.

Janet Holmgren, Athabasca Working Group, Transcript of McArthur River Public Hearings, La Ronge, Saskatchewan, October 1, 1996, p. 138.

The AWG has devoted about half of its discussion time to dealing with mine site issues. Community members who work at the mines address their concerns to their AWG members who in turn bring them to the table at the next AWG meeting. One problem identified was the inability of many northerners to communicate fully with human resource people at the mine sites. In response to this concern, an employee relations counsellor was hired to help all northern employees with their concerns and grievances.

The remainder of the AWG discussions has focused on the three main issues identified in the first meeting. The AWG has reached agreement on the first issue, and has defined procedures to maximize jobs, training and business opportunities for the people of the Athabasca region. Discussions are nearly complete on the issue of protection for the environment and compensation for environmental damage. The AWG has identified the people and communities which might be impacted, the types of losses that could occur, and the compensation options that would be available. The procedures to be followed should damage occur are now being finalized. The third issue, benefit sharing, has not been discussed fully.

The panel supports the AWG initiative and its attempts to establish consensus between the people of the region and the mining companies on the way in which mining is carried out in the north. The lack of formal procedures is a strength when discussions are going well, but may prove to be a weakness when consensus is difficult to reach. There is also a possibility that mining companies might feel less motivated to reach agreement on outstanding issues after mine approvals have been granted. The panel encourages the continuation of the AWG initiative, and suggests that it establish terms of reference and procedures to confirm and protect the dialogue between the communities and the mining companies.

11.4 Community Vitality

Now we are telling you guys, as a matter of fact, we do know that we are a community, we do know how to build this community, and we do know how to build a future.

Greg Ross, Mayor of Pinehouse, Transcript of Public Hearings, Pinehouse, Saskatchewan, October 7, 1996, p. 5.

Community vitality, defined as the social well-being and quality of life experienced by community residents,⁷⁵ is subject to both positive and negative impacts from uranium mining.

On the positive side, enhanced employment and business opportunities in northern communities may provide a better standard of living and be a source of optimism and hope for community members. Mine employees may also be good role models, encouraging students to stay in school and others to upgrade their education. The seven-day-in, seven-day-out rotation allows wage earners to remain active in traditional pursuits and to have quality time to spend with their families. The presence of mines may bring reduced transportation costs of goods throughout the region, and often results in an improved infrastructure (roads, electrical power lines, water and sewer, etc.) that contributes to the viability and vitality of a community.

You could say that I was doing my own study of the changes in the environment as an aboriginal living off the land. l came to realize that all seemed well and that there was a positive side to mining. Such things as jobs and education were being addressed, and the all-weather road supported our traditional fishing, trapping and wild rice activity in the area.

Rene Rediron, Transcript of McArthur River Public Hearings, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, September 11, 1996, p.184.

On the negative side, there is a communal sense of injustice and anger caused by the extraction of resources worth billions of dollars from the traditional lands of communities where many are struggling to meet basic needs. High expectations of northerners for jobs might not be realized, in particular with the McArthur River Project where few new jobs would be created. Tensions might develop between community members with jobs and those without, and between those who oppose mine development and those who favour it. Uranium mining might cause a deterioration in the traditional way of life that is valued by many northerners. Fear of environmental pollution could create anxiety in communities that share the same watershed as the mines. Some employees might decide to move to southern cities, thus depriving northern communities of potential leadership. In addition, improved infrastructure might result in concerns about traffic accidents and possible spills of toxic materials.

Although this description of possible impacts is far from exhaustive, it does indicate that uranium mining has the potential to cause both positive and negative impacts on the vitality of northern communities. Therefore, if uranium mining is to remain a feature of the northern economy, it is as important to monitor its impacts on community vitality as it is to monitor its impacts on the environment. At least as much attention should be directed toward maintaining the well-being of the people of the region as is devoted to preserving the biota.

In order to do this, it will be necessary to identify a set of indicators that can be used to assess the impact of uranium mining on the quality of life experienced by residents of northern communities, This will be a challenging undertaking, one that will almost certainly require professional assistance. The panel, therefore, welcomes and strongly commends the leadership of Cameco for offering to provide $250,000 annually towards the funding of a social scientist in the north, and the establishment of a northern community socioeconomic and health impacts database. This initiative will be facilitated by the Department of Northern Affairs, through the Northern Mines Monitoring Secretariat, and in discussion with the emerging Northern Health Boards. Groups like the EQCs and the AWG might also play a role in the process.

he panel heard various suggestions about ways in which community vitality could be enhanced or studied. The Athabasca Environmental Quality Committee recommended that a comparative study be done of the cost of living in Athabascan communities, other northern Saskatchewan communities, and southern Saskatchewan communities. They suggested that a study of this nature might result in a formula whereby all workers would have parity in purchasing power, regardless of their place of residence and thereby encourage workers to maintain their northern residency. Another suggestion was that communities and mining companies explore the possibility of joint bulk purchasing and transportation of dry goods, fuel, and construction supplies. The savings created by economies of scale could be shared. Such suggestions show ways in which the mining companies, government, and communities could work together to improve the quality of life of northerners, and should be carefully considered.

11.5 Community Health

Saskatchewan Health considers health to be “a dynamic process involving the harmony of physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual well-being. Health enables individuals, families and communities to function to the best of their ability within their environment.⁷⁶ In addition, the province’s wellness approach recognizes that the state of our health is affected by factors like employment, income, education, housing, the environment, and individual lifestyle choices. Thus, the health of northerners is intimately connected to community vitality.

The health of a community involves the physical, spiritual and cultural well-being; it means people having access to basic health services; it means people having meaningful employment and a sense of worth and contribution to their community, it means families having a basic standard of living, and it means a community that is satisfied and confident with itself and of its residents.

Athabasca Environmental Quality Committee, Submission to McArthur River and Cigar Lake Public Hearings, La Ronge, Saskatchewan, October, 1996, p. 8.

The community health impacts of uranium mining development in the north are being assessed in keeping with this broad definition of health. Cumulative health effects involve environmental pathways analysis and the monitoring of contaminants in a variety of VECs on a regional basis through the CEMWG (see Sections 10.4 and 11.1). Saskatchewan Health has completed a literature review on potential physical health effects of uranium mining on adjacent human populations and is studying recommendations arising from this review.⁷⁷

A steering committee, comprised of federal and provincial government departments, northern communities, and industry, initiated a study of the feasibility of a comprehensive baseline health status survey. Based on its recommendations, Saskatchewan Health will facilitate a more detailed analysis of existing databases, the viability and validity of linking databases and of using them as indicators in a baseline health study.⁷⁸

The first phase of a health monitoring study to identify health trends, past and future, in northern Saskatchewan was scheduled to begin in the fall of 1996.⁷⁹ Cameco’s proposed support for social and health impact monitoring (see Section 1 1.4) could enhance this health monitoring study by looking at appropriate socio-economic and community health indicators.

Finally, an epidemiological study of the incidence of lung cancer and mortality of uranium mine workers in Saskatchewan has been announced. The proposed study is a cooperative venture involving the AECB, Saskatchewan Labour, Saskatchewan Health, and the mining companies. See Section 9.2.

These initiatives, many of which respond to previous recommendations of the panel (see Section 13.11, are most welcome. They should augment the general health planning process for northern Saskatchewan.

11.6 Conclusions and Recommendations

Information indicates that there has been no regional contamination of the food web in northern Saskatchewan. Continuous monitoring and mitigation are necessary to protect it from deterioration as the region experiences development activities.

The Environmental Quality Committees provide a good avenue for incorporating local participation in decisions related to uranium mining activities in northern Saskatchewan. Adequate financial support should be provided to educate and train committee members in the various issues related to uranium mining and milling. The AECB should be more active in its EOC support and participation.

The activities of the Athabasca Working Group are to be encouraged; it is important that the mining companies and community leaders from the region meet directly to discuss issues of common concern.

Just as the monitoring of biophysical impacts requires the participation of professional biologists and chemists, the monitoring of impacts to community vitality requires assistance from social scientists. Cameco is to be commended for helping to fund this expertise and for linking it with community health.

The panel is encouraged by the recent initiatives to monitor different aspects of community health, including cumulative effects and the possible contamination of country foods, a baseline community health status survey, and the health study of uranium mine workers. Funds should be made available to ensure the continuation of these initiatives.

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⁷³ P. Thomas, Radionuclide Analyses of Saskatchewan Caribou - 1995, Final Report of Saskatchewan Environment and Resource Management and Saskatchewan Health.

⁷⁴ D.G. Lee, J.F. Archibald, J. Dantouze, R. Neal, and A. Yassi, Dominique-Janine Extension, McClean Lake Project, and Midwest Joint Venture, Supply and Services Canada, October 1993, p. 11.

⁷⁵ D.G. Lee, J.F. Archibald, J. Dantouze, R. Neal and A. Yassi, Guidelines for the Preparation of Environmental Impact Statements and Government Information Requests for the Cigar Lake and McArthur River Projects, September 1992, p. 53.

⁷⁶ Government of Saskatchewan, Submission to the McArthur River and Cigar Lake Public Hearings, Regina, Saskatchewan, September 4, 1996, p. 40.

⁷⁷ Ibid, p. 45.

⁷⁸ Ibid, p. 46

⁷⁹ lbid, p. 46.