HomeFAQContactFeedbackAccessibility
Resident Services

Environmental Assessment

Environmental Assessment Study Report

The federal environmental assessment for the Port Hope Project was initiated in 2001. Although the environmental assessment is classed as a screening under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, it has been scoped by the federal responsible authorities to include the same factors as a comprehensive study. (The federal government's scope of the assessment was released in July 2002.)

The environmental assessment of the Project included evaluating alternative means of completing the project, including reviews of international approaches to managing LLRW; characterizing the various major remediation sites and documenting the existing (baseline) environmental conditions; predicting environmental effects of the Project; identifying measures to mitigate the adverse effects; and then, evaluating the significance of the predicted remaining adverse effects after mitigation has been applied.

Environmental effects of the Project were considered in nine areas: atmospheric; geological and groundwater; aquatic; terrestrial; human health and safety; socio-economic; Aboriginal interests; accidents and malfunctions; and cumulative effects. The environmental assessment concluded that the Port Hope Project would result in many environmental benefits, some adverse effects that could be addressed with mitigation measures, and minor residual adverse effects during the construction phase for some aspects of the socio-economic environment as well as adverse changes to people's feelings of well-being.

Screening Report

The Screening Report was prepared by the three Responsible Authorities for the Project: Natural Resources Canada, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission and Fisheries and Oceans Canada. It contains their findings and conclusions on the environmental assessment of the Port Hope Project.

The Draft Screening Report was available for public review in mid-2006 and was finalized in December 2006. A decision to proceed was taken by the Responsible Authorities in March 2007. The LLRWMO staff are working hard on engineering details, construction and operating procedures required for the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission licence needed to begin the Port Hope Project. Download the Port Hope Long-Term LLRW Management Project "Screening Report" for December 2006 (246 Pages - 7MB PDF)

The Screening Report is based on the Environmental Assessment Study Report and its supporting documents as well as the federal government analysis of those documents. The Responsible Authorities concluded that the Port Hope Project is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects. However, the responsible authorities also concluded that a follow-up (monitoring) program was needed and they identified preliminary requirements for the program.

Port Hope Long-Term LLRW Management Project "Environmental Assessment Screening Report" December 2006  (246 Pages - 7MB PDF)

Download the CNSC Port Hope Public Meeting Transcripts.