News Release
Former Gunnar Mine Site Rehabilitation Project – Environmental Assessment to Continue as a Comprehensive Study

OTTAWA – February 2, 2009 – Canada’s Environment Minister Jim Prentice announced today that a comprehensive study is the most appropriate type of environmental assessment for the Former Gunnar Mine Site Rehabilitation Project in Northern Saskatchewan.

The Minister based his decision on the report and recommendation submitted by the responsible authorities, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission and Natural Resources Canada. The report contains information on the scope of the project, the factors to be considered in the environmental assessment and the scope of those factors, public comments in relation to the project, the potential of the project to cause adverse environmental effects and the ability of the comprehensive study to address issues relating to the project.

A copy of the report can be obtained by contacting:

Heather Nicholson
Environmental Assessment Specialist
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
Environmental Assessment Division
280 Slater Street
PO Box 1046, Station B
Ottawa, ON  K1P 5S9
Tel.: 613-943-9920
Fax: 613-995-5086
Email: Heather.Nicholson@cnsc-ccsn.gc.ca

The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission will now continue the comprehensive study and submit a comprehensive study report to the Minister of the Environment. At that time the public will have an opportunity to comment on the findings and recommendations of the report before the Minister renders his final decision.

The Saskatchewan Research Council, on behalf of the Governments of Canada and of Saskatchewan, is proposing to clean-up and rehabilitate the former Gunnar mine site, located on the north shore of Lake Athabasca in northern Saskatchewan.

Further information on this project is available in the Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry under reference number 07-03-30100.

The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency administers the federal environmental assessment process, which identifies the environmental effects of proposed projects and measures to address those effects, in support of sustainable development.

For more information, media may contact:

Gordon Harris
Senior Communications Advisor
Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency
Tel.: 613-948-2069