Updated Public Notice: Public Comment Period Extension

Nuclear Power Demonstration Closure Project –
Public Comment Period on Canadian Nuclear Laboratories'
Draft Environmental Impact Statement

The draft environmental impact statement (EIS), in both official languages, for the proposed Nuclear Power Demonstration (NPD) Closure Project submitted by the proponent, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL), is now available to the public. The draft EIS and the executive summary (interactive version or printable version) can be accessed by visiting the Documents – For Public Participation section of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry for the NPD Closure Project.

The draft EIS provides an analysis of the project's potential environmental effects and measures to mitigate those potential impacts. The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) is seeking comments during a 90-day public comment period on the draft EIS.  

The public comment period gives members of the public, Indigenous groups, and government departments and agencies an opportunity to submit their views in writing to the CNSC on the adequacy of the information presented in the EIS, as measured against the Generic Guidelines for the Preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement pursuant to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 (the Guidelines), and on the technical merit of the information presented. The Guidelines provide direction to the proponent and identify the information that is required in the EIS.

Written comments in either official language must be submitted by February 13, 2018 to:

Lucia Abellan
Environmental Assessment Officer
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
P.O. Box 1046 Station B
280 Slater Street
Ottawa, ON  K1P 5S9
Telephone: 613-995-7265 or 1-800-668-5284
Fax: 613-995-5086
Email: cnsc.ea-ee.ccsn@canada.ca

All comments on the draft EIS will be posted on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry in the language in which they were received.

Next steps

Following receipt of public comments on the draft EIS, CNSC staff will consider all submissions received in making its determination on whether the EIS is satisfactory or whether further information is required from the proponent. Should further information be required, the proponent will be requested to submit the necessary information until CNSC staff are satisfied with a final EIS. In addition, CNSC staff will ensure responses are provided to all comments received from members of the public and Indigenous groups. Following receipt of a final EIS, CNSC staff will prepare a CEAA 2012 environmental assessment report (EA report), to inform the Commission's EA decision. The EA report will be available to the public and Indigenous groups 60 days prior to the Commission's hearing on the EA and licensing decision. The hearing is currently scheduled for December 12, 2018. However, this date could be changed by the CNSC Secretariat when finalizing the schedule for the 2018 Commission Hearings. Public participation will be offered through the submission of written and/or oral interventions. For more details on the EA schedule, please consult the Appendix A to the Administrative Protocol between CNL and CNSC, which is posted under the Documents – Additional Information section of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry for the NPD Closure Project.