FEDERAL COMMITMENT NEEDED FOR ABANDONED URANIUM MINE SITES CLEANUP

Released on April 4, 2003

Saskatchewan is pressing the federal government to take full financial responsibility for cleanup of 42 abandoned uranium mine sites in northern Saskatchewan.

"It is important that Ottawa move as quickly as possible to confirm it is prepared to finally address these contaminated sites," Northern Affairs Minister Buckley Belanger said. "Based on our review of the approaches used in other countries with similar types of environmental cleanup projects, we are proposing what we believe would be a cost-effective project delivery model that would see the clean up done over eight years for $30 million."

The Government of Canada had responsibility for the development and regulation of these sites and had a monopoly over the sale of uranium from the sites in the 1950s and 1960s. Canada retains responsibility for the manner in which the sites were abandoned.

"Saskatchewan is committed to participating in the cleanup of these sites and to ensuring maximum opportunities for northerners' involvement in the project," Belanger said.

Saskatchewan provincial government officials are pursuing discussions with their federal counterparts to obtain the necessary federal government commitment of funding to clean up the sites.

To demonstrate Saskatchewan's commitment to the proposed project and to facilitate immediate negotiations with the federal government, funding was provided in the 2003-2004 provincial budget to provide for site safety improvements at the abandoned Gunnar mine/mill site and a start to project planning work.

Actual project implementation would likely be two years in getting underway. First, a decommissioning plan must be prepared in order to secure a decommissioning licence from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission in Ottawa.

"Cleaning up the environment is important to northerners. We will keep northerners fully informed of negotiations as we work to confirm the federal government's commitment to fully fund the decommissioning and reclamation of these abandoned uranium mine sites," Belanger said.

-30-

For More Information, Contact:

Richard Turkheim Saskatchewan Northern Affairs Regina Phone: (306)787-2143 Email: rturkheim@sna.gov.sk.ca Cell: 533-0111