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The Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Rook I Project (Project) evaluated the potential environmental effects associated with all Project activities during all phases.
An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which contains the Project EA, was developed by NexGen and represented a culmination of more than eight years of detailed data collection and analysis incorporating all Project technical, environmental, and social aspects. A draft EIS was submitted to the provincial and federal regulators in 2022, with provincial technical review comments and federal technical and public review comments received by NexGen in Q4 2022.
NexGen has been working with Indigenous Groups throughout the EA process to ensure Indigenous and Local Knowledge was incorporated into the EIS.
Following conclusion of the provincial technical review process in Q3 2023, NexGen submitted a revised provincial EIS to the provincial regulator – the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment (ENV) – which underwent public review between September 2023 and October 2023. On 9 November 2023, NexGen received Ministerial approval under The Environmental Assessment Act of Saskatchewan to proceed with the development of the Rook I Project. NexGen is the first company in more than 20 years to receive full provincial EA approval for a greenfield uranium mine and mill project in Saskatchewan. This concluded the rigorous provincial Environmental Impact Assessment process and represents the major regulatory milestone ahead of full development of the Rook I Project. Receipt of the provincial EA approval enables the Company to progress with securing the necessary provincial and federal approvals to construct the Project.
NexGen submitted responses to all federal technical review comments received on the Draft EIS, with the federal regulator – the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) – confirming on 18 November 2024 that all information requests had been successfully addressed. On 29 November 2024, NexGen submitted a revised EIS, and on 28 January 2025, the CNSC confirmed that the EIS was accepted as final. The next and final steps in the federal approval process include holding a Commission Hearing Date for the Project, subject to which the CNSC will render an approval decision on the Project.
April 2019: |
Submission of EA Project Description to ENV and CNSC |
May 2022: |
Submission of Draft EIS to ENV and CNSC |
September 2022: |
Receipt of provincial technical review comments on Draft EIS |
November 2022: |
Receipt of federal technical and public review comments on Draft EIS |
August 2023: |
Submission of provincial Final EIS to ENV |
September 2023: |
Submission of federal technical review comment responses |
October 2023: |
Conclusion of provincial public review on Final EIS |
November 2023: |
Receipt of provincial EA approval |
February 2024: |
Receipt of results from federal review of 274 technical review comment responses |
May 2024: |
Submission of responses to remaining 49 federal technical review comments and revised federal EIS |
June 2024: |
CNSC concludes 30-day completeness check of responses to remaining 49 federal technical review comments and revised federal EIS |
November 2024: |
CNSC confirms all technical review comments have been successfully addressed, concluding the federal EA technical review process |
November 2024: |
NexGen submits a revised federal EIS to the CNSC |
January 2025: |
CNSC confirms that the revised federal EIS submitted by NexGen has been accepted as final |
March 2025: |
CNSC announces public Commission Hearing dates for the Project EA and Licence |