Sask. okays two other projects — Midwest dead for now

There was mixed news from Saskatchewan as the provincial government announced its decision on the development of three proposed uranium mines in the north.

Environment and Resources Minister Berny Wiens has essentially agreed with the recommendations of an environmental panel and approved two of the three proposed projects.

Wiens explained that provincial approval of the Dominique-Janine extension was given unconditionally while the McClean Lake project was given approval with conditions and the Midwest Joint venture was not approved. The development plans can be either accepted or rejected by the federal government. Its decision is expected some time in January.

Wiens said the government would not allow the Midwest joint venture to proceed because it is not satisfied that the mitigation measures proposed in the Midwest projects environmental impact statement are sufficient to address adequately the adverse environmental effects involved. In granting the approval for McClean Lake, Wiens said he is satisfied that any adverse environmental impacts will be successfully minimized without the need for a 5-year delay as originally proposed by the Federal Environmental Assessment Review Office (FEARO) panel.

The reason given for the panels recommendation was that time was needed to study the method of tailings management to be used by Denison and Cogema at McClean Lake.

Commenting on the success of the tailings management technology at different uranium deposits, Wiens said: Recently, this technology was submitted to a thorough technical review through a federal environmental review panel. That report confirmed our earlier assessment that the previous surround technology is sound.

However, Wiens added that a condition of his approval of McClean Lake is an evaluation of how the technology is to be applied. Furthermore, all issues raised by the FEARO panel will be considered by the Atomic Energy Licensing Board. Before the tailings disposal facility is licensed, the proponents will be required to meet the most stringent environmental design requirements in Canada, he said.

The previous recommendations were made by a federal-provincial panel established by the FEARO. They called for the approval of the Dominique- Janine extension (owned by Cogema), as well as a 5-year postponement on the development of the McClean Lake deposit (jointly owned by Cogema and Toronto-listed Denison Mines) and refusal of the Midwest Joint Venture (owned by Denison, Cogema and Uranez Exploration and Mining).

The Environmental Assessment Act says companies must receive ministerial approval before proceeding with development of a deposit, to ensure that environmental consequences are considered.

Dwain Lingenfelter, minister for economic development, said the expansion of the uranium industry will create jobs throughout Saskatchewan. In the north, where some communities have unemployment rates in excess of 70%, new uranium mining operations are expected to create 270 direct full-time jobs and an estimated 160 jobs indirectly. Most of these will be filled by residents of northern Saskatchewan.