Evaluating the Absence of Regional Environmental Studies
This article is part of a series exploring the views and perspectives of youth, artists and community members working with the Melgund Integrated Nuclear Impact Assessment Project. This initiative is a climate entrepreneurship and arts-based community recreation program, developed through community consultation, engagement participation in the integrated impact assessment process for the NWMO’s proposed Deep Geological Repository for nuclear waste fuel.
What is Proposed
The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) states that based on their review of public information, there are no existing regional studies or assessments for the area surrounding the proposed Revell project site. The proponent claims that the only relevant regional assessment in Northern Ontario is currently taking place in the Ring of Fire area, which is located approximately 534 kilometers northeast of the project. This finding is presented as a baseline condition in the Initial Project Description, suggesting a lack of existing regional data frameworks to guide the assessment.
Underlying Assumptions
- Publicly available databases represent the entirety of relevant environmental and social data for the region.
- The absence of government-led regional studies justifies a lack of regional baseline data in the proponent’s submission.
- The term ‘proximity’ does not require a specific geographic definition to be scientifically valid.
- A study 534 km away provides a meaningful context for the rarity of regional assessments in the project area.
Community Assessment
Our community assessment finds that the proponent’s reliance on the absence of existing studies is a significant regulatory deficiency. The term ‘proximity’ is never defined, leaving the search radius for existing data unverifiable and lacking in scientific rigor. Furthermore, the exclusion of Indigenous-led or community-based ‘grey literature’—records not found in federal databases—suggests an incomplete understanding of the social and environmental landscape. For residents of Melgund Township, including Dyment and Borups Corners, this data vacuum is not a neutral observation; it is a failure to establish a baseline for cumulative impacts. The mention of the Ring of Fire assessment is a geographic ‘red herring’ that offers no technical relevance to the Revell site’s specific hydrogeology or wildlife corridors. Without a regional lens, the ‘ripple effects’ on neighboring communities, such as transportation risks and social stigma, remain unaddressed and unmeasured.
Path Forward
To improve the accuracy of the regional baseline, the proponent must provide a comprehensive list of the sources consulted and define the specific geographic radius used in their search. We recommend that the NWMO engage directly with local municipalities and Indigenous nations to identify community-led environmental studies and traditional land-use assessments. Most importantly, given the confirmed absence of formal regional frameworks, the proponent should proactively propose a project-specific regional study. This framework must outline how new baseline data will be collected and integrated to evaluate the long-term cumulative effects of storing high-level nuclear waste in our region.
About the Integrated Assessment Process
The federal Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) has formally launched the integrated impact assessment process for the proposed Deep Geological Repository (DGR) for Canada’s Used Nuclear Fuel Project, a major national infrastructure initiative led by the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO).
The proposed underground repository is designed to permanently contain and isolate used nuclear fuel in a secure geological formation. Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation and the Township of Ignace have been selected as host communities for the project. The site is located approximately 21 kilometres southeast of Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation and 43 kilometres northwest of Ignace, Ontario, near Highway 17.
According to project materials, the repository would provide permanent storage for approximately 5.9 million bundles of used nuclear fuel. The full lifecycle of the project is expected to span roughly 160 years, including site preparation, construction, operations, closure, and long-term monitoring.
Integrated Federal Review
Major nuclear projects in Canada are subject to an integrated assessment process jointly led by the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC). This “one project, one review” approach is intended to streamline regulatory oversight while ensuring rigorous evaluation of environmental, health, social, economic, and Indigenous rights impacts.
Under this framework, IAAC oversees the impact assessment requirements under the Impact Assessment Act, while the CNSC regulates nuclear safety under the Nuclear Safety and Control Act. The CNSC will issue the initial site preparation licence and manage all subsequent nuclear licensing for the project’s duration.
The integrated assessment also includes a focus on potential impacts on Indigenous Peoples, including rights, land use, cultural practices, health, and socio-economic conditions. Where potential adverse effects are identified, the process is intended to identify mitigation measures to reduce or avoid harm.
Public Comment Period Now Open
The first public comment period for the project is currently open and will run until February 4, 2026. During this phase, the public is invited to provide feedback on the Summary of the Initial Project Description submitted by the NWMO. Submissions received during this period will inform IAAC’s summary of issues, which will guide the next stages of the impact assessment. All comments submitted become part of the public project record and are posted to the federal Impact Assessment Registry.
This plain-language summary is provided by ECO-STAR North and Art Borups Corners to support public engagement.
Disclaimer: The views and perspectives expressed in this article are solely those of the independent arts program led by ECO-STAR North and Art Borups Corners. They do not reflect the official positions of the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) or the Government of Canada.
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