An application to begin uranium production at the Cigar Lake mine in northern Saskatchewan was the topic of discussion this morning at a public hearing in Saskatoon.
Cameco has been building the mine for some time, but would like to begin operations at the end of the year.
The Northern Saskatchewan Environmental Quality Committee, which made an intervention presentation at the hearings, supports the application — but Allen Augier says they are against the length of the licence Cameco is seeking:
“If the thing works well, OK, we’ll agree with 10 years. But how do we know? Everything sounds good until it really works.”
Augier says his organization would prefer a licence of five to eight years.
He also says the EQC has concerns with the new jet boring technique that will be used at Cigar Lake, and the amount of water it will use.
Vince Natomagan of the Kineepik Metis Local in Pinehouse voiced his support for the application, and says those against the nuclear industry in his community are a fringe group:
“There might be a small, fringe group — and they have their merits in some of their discussions — but these particular people that we really want to address here are not necessarily lifelong members of our community.”
Aurele Gervais, an official with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, says the commission’s board will make a final decision on Cameco’s application shortly after the hearings wrap up tomorrow:
“After the end of the hearings, the commission members will deliberate — and we have a standard of about six weeks before a decision is made public.”
A number of other organizations are making presentations at the hearings, including the Prince Albert Grand Council.