Canadian Nuclear Commission canadienne 1+1 Safety Commission de sQrete nucleaire

P.O. Box 1046, Station B C.P. 1046, Succursale B Ottawa, Ontario Ottawa (Ontario) K1P 5S9 K1P 5S9

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pirectorate of Nuclear Cycle and Facilities Regulation Our file Notre reference

2.05/37-2-6-0

April 12, 2012

Ms. Kelly McGee Ms. Debra Myles Joint Review Panel Co-Manager Joint Review Panel Co-Manager Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency 280 Slater Street 160 Elgin Street Ottawa, Ontario KIP 5S0 Ottawa, Ontario KIA OH3

Subject: CNSC Staff Support to the Joint Review Panel for the OPG Deep Geologic Repository Project for Low and Intermediate Level Waste­Panel Member Documents

Dear Ms. McGee and Ms. Myles,

Further to CNSC staff's presentation made at the Panel Orientation Session on February 21, 2012, the purpose of this letter is to outline the various types of Panel Member Documents (PMDs) that CNSC staff will prepare during the public review to assist the Panel in carrying out its mandate for the OPG Deep Geologic Repository Project for Low and Intermediate Level Waste. This is consistent with the professional, scientific, and technical role of Commission personnel in the Secretariat described in the JRP agreement.

The following types of PMDs will be prepared by CNSC staff and submitted to the Panel during the course of the review:

1. Proposed Information Requests (IRs) PMD

If CNSC staff determines that information contained in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or Licence to Prepare Site and Construct (LPSC) Application does not respond adequately to the EIS Guidelines and/or CNSC Regulations, CNSC staff will propose requests for additional information to the Panel for their consideration. This is further to CNSC staff's proposed IRs from the technical scan that were submitted to the Panel in Reference 1.

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2. Assessment of IR Responses PMD

CNSC staff will review and assess for adequacy OPG's responses to those JRP IRs initially proposed by staff. This may entail a meeting with the applicant to clarify the response. CNSC staff will communicate the results of their assessment, including notable clarifications, to the Panel. CNSC staff is also available to assess OPG's responses to other IRs, if requested by the Panel.

3. Context PMD

When appropriate, CNSC staff will review proposed IRs submitted to the Panel by others (including other government departments) and prepare a context PMD. This PMD will document whether or not a similar IR was previously requested by the Panel and/or whether or not the information requested can be found in OPG submissions or in OPG IR responses.

4. Written Submission for Public Hearing PMD

Once the Panel has determined it has sufficient information to proceed to a public hearing, CNSC staff will prepare a final PMD for the EIS and a Commission Member Document (CMD) for the LPSC Application which documents CNSC staffs overall review conclusions and recommendations.

It should be noted that CNSC staff is available to provide additional support to the Panel over and above the noted PMDs upon request.

If you have any questions or require further clarification, please contact Ms. Kiza Francis, at (613) 947-1051, for matters related to the EIS or Ms. Kay Klassen, at (613) 943-8103, for matters related to the LPSC Applications.

Sincerely,

V1r.1~oward

Director Wastes and Decommissioning Division

Reference

1. CNSC Letter, D. Howard to Joint Review Panel Secretariat, "OPG's Deep Geologic Repository for Low and Intermediate Level Waste Project - Proposed Information Requests for Completed Technical Scan of the Environmental Impact Statement and Licence Application to Prepare the Site and Construct", January 25, 2012, E-Doc 3852009, CEARIS #325

cc: P. Thompson, P. Elder, B. Tonie, K. Francis, K. Klassen

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