Application of CEAA to Waste Remediation Enhancement Projects at CRL

Abstract

AECL has initiated a number of Waste Remediation Enhancement (WRE) Projects to address legacy liabilities and further improve waste management methods at its Chalk River Laboratories (CRL) site. The most advanced, is the Liquid Waste Transfer and Storage (LWTS) Project, which will provide a new Storage System for intermediate and high level radioactive liquid waste currently stored in ageing tanks at CRL. Before the project can proceed, an Environmental Assessment (EA) under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA) is required. Challenges of the EA process include timeliness of the process, effective public consultation and defining environmental performance levels at the conceptual design phase. This paper identifies steps taken by AECL, as the project proponent, to minimize the risk of delays in EA process. Recommendations for more efficient public consultation and defining environmental performance levels at the conceptual design stage are provided