Rook I Project

October 16, 2025 - The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) has posted the Environmental Assessment (EA) Report for NexGen Energy Ltd.’s proposed Rook I Project. The EA Report is part of the Commission Member Document (CMD) package related to NexGen’s licence application to prepare site and construct.

The EA Report presents CNSC staff’s assessment of the potential environmental effects of the proposed uranium mine and mill project located in northern Saskatchewan. It reflects a technical review conducted by the Federal Indigenous Review Team and incorporates input received from Indigenous Nations and communities, federal departments and agencies.

The EA Report evaluates whether the project is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects, taking into account proposed mitigation measures and the implementation of follow-up programs.

The EA Report and supporting documents are available here:

• Commission Member Document (CMD) 25-H12 CNSC Staff Submission (including EA Report and Indigenous Consultation Report) 
• EA Report 

The EA Report will be considered by the Commission during a public hearing. Details on the hearing, including how to participate or submit written interventions, will be announced on the CNSC website and the Registry in the coming weeks.

For more information, contact the CNSC Rook I Project Team at Rook1@cnsc-ccsn.gc.ca

March 14, 2025:

On March 12, 2025, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) announced hearing dates for a public hearing on NexGen Energy Ltd.’s licence application to prepare a site for and construct its Rook I mine and mill project. The hearing will also consider the Environmental Assessment, under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012.

Hearing details:

Part 1:

• Date: November 19, 2025
• Place: Fully virtual via Zoom
• Time: As set by the agenda to be published prior to the hearing date

Part 2:

• Date: February 9 to 13, 2026
• Place: To be determined (in person in Saskatoon)
• Time: As set by the agenda to be published prior to the hearing date

More information can be found in the CNSC's public notice here: https://api.cnsc-ccsn.gc.ca/dms/digital-medias/CMD25-H12-Notice-of-Public-Hearing-and-Participant-Funding-Licence-Application-for-NexGen-Energy-Rook-1-Uranium-Mine-eng.pdf/object

January 28, 2025:

CNSC staff completed their review of NexGen’s submission of the final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed Rook l Project. CNSC staff have determined that the information provided in NexGen’s submission is complete and, as such, the final EIS has been deemed acceptable. CNSC staff will proceed with the preparation of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 Environmental Assessment Report, which will be made available for review by Indigenous Nations and communities and the public prior to a public Commission hearing.

For additional information and links to the final EIS documents, please see the public notice here.

December 31, 2024: CNSC staff’s review of NexGen’s Final EIS package has been extended until January 28, 2025.  As noted previously, once CNSC staff deems the submission as Final, staff will notify NexGen that the EIS has been accepted and will proceed with developing the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 (CEAA 2012) EA Report summarizing the results of the technical review and staff's recommendations to the Commission.

December 4, 2024: On November 29^th, NexGen Energy Ltd. (NexGen) submitted a Final EIS package, including revised responses to the Consolidated Comments from Indigenous Nations and Communities and the Public on the Rook I Project. The submission is currently undergoing a 30-day review by CNSC staff to ensure all documents have been updated accordingly and that all comments from Indigenous Nations and Communities and members of the public have been addressed in an acceptable manner.

As noted previously, once CNSC staff deems the submission as Final, staff will notify NexGen that the EIS has been accepted and will proceed with developing the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 (CEAA 2012) EA Report summarizing the results of the technical review and staff's recommendations to the Commission.

The following documents have been posted:

• Annex 1 – FIRT Review Results of NexGen May 22, 2024, IR Responses submission
• Annex 2 – FIRT Review Results of NexGen May 22, 2024, Responses to Advice to Proponent Comments
• Rook l Project EIS Information Requests – Supplemental Information
• Rook l Project EIS Advice to Proponent – Supplemental Information

CNSC staff expect NexGen to submit a Final EIS package, including responses to the Consolidated Comments from Indigenous Nations and Communities and the Public on the NexGen Rook l Project. Once received, the submission will undergo a 30-day review by CNSC staff to ensure all documents have been updated accordingly and that all comments from Indigenous Nations and Communities and members of the public have been addressed in an acceptable manner.

Once CNSC staff deems the submission as Final, staff will notify NexGen that the EIS has been accepted and will proceed with developing the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 (CEAA 2012) EA Report summarizing the results of the technical review and staff’s recommendations to the Commission.

October 21, 2024: The technical review by the Federal Indigenous Review Team (FIRT) has been extended until November 19, 2024, at which point CNSC staff will send the review results back to NexGen. If CNSC staff determine that additional time is required to complete this review, another update will be posted.

October 2, 2024: The technical review by the Federal Indigenous Review Team (FIRT) has been extended until October 20, 2024, at which point CNSC staff will send the review results back to NexGen. If CNSC staff determine that additional time is required to complete this review, another update will be posted.

June 20, 2024: On May 22, 2024, NexGen Energy Ltd. (NexGen) re-submitted a draft EIS package for the proposed Rook l Project to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC). CNSC staff conducted a completeness check and determined that outstanding information requests (IRs) have passed completeness and supporting submissions are adequate to proceed to the EIS Technical Review. More information can be found in the June 20, 2024 letter to NexGen, and completeness check table.

The next phase of technical review by the Federal Indigenous Review Team (FIRT) will run from June 21, 2024 to September 20, 2024. Subject Matter experts will review the responses to IRs provided by NexGen, which includes the following documents:

• Rook l Project Revised Draft EIS (May 2024)
• Rook l Project Draft EIS FIRT Annex 1 – Information Request Responses (May 2024)
• Rook l Project Draft EIS FIRT Annex 2 – Advice to Proponent Responses – (May 22, 2024)
• Rook l Project Commitments Table (May 2024)

February 16, 2024: The federal and Indigenous review team (FIRT) has completed their technical review of the responses to information requests (IRs) submitted by NexGen Energy Ltd. (NexGen) and has found that the information provided does not fully address the regulatory requirements for the environmental assessment (EA). To date, the FIRT technical review of NexGen’s responses to the 274 IRs has resulted in 171 accepted IRs and 103 IRs that are not accepted.

Additional information in the advice to proponent table contains guidance and advice that NexGen should take into consideration when responding to IRs and when revising the draft EIS.

The following documents have been posted:

• Annex 1 - Federal and Indigenous Review Team, Rook l Project – Information Requests, February 12, 2024
• Annex 2 - Federal and Indigenous Review Team, Rook l Project - Advice to Proponent, February 12, 2024

CNSC staff expect NexGen to submit complete revised responses to all outstanding and new IRs as well as advice to the proponent, along with a revised EIS and supporting documentation. NexGen’s responses may be reviewed several times to ensure the responses meet requirements. Once the revised draft EIS meets regulatory requirements, CNSC staff will proceed with developing an EA report. 

November 15, 2023 - On October 31, 2023, NexGen Energy Ltd. (NexGen) re-submitted responses to the Federal Indigenous Review Team's information requests (IRs) for the proposed Rook l Project to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC). CNSC staff conducted a completeness check and determined that outstanding IRs have passed completeness and supporting submissions are adequate to proceed to the EIS Technical Review. More information can be found in the November 14 letter to NexGen, and in the completeness check table.

The next phase of technical review by the Federal Indigenous Review Team will run from November 14, 2023 to February 12, 2024. Subject Matter experts will review the responses to IRs provided to NexGen in November 2022, which includes the following documents:

• Rook l Project FIRT Annex 1 – Information Request Responses (October 2023)
• Summary of Indigenous Group Engagement Activities – Interim Update (August 2023)
• Annex 2 Responses:  Federal Indigenous Review Team Advice to Proponent

October 13, 2023 - On September 5, 2023, NexGen Energy Ltd. (NexGen) submitted responses to Federal Indigenous Review Team information requests for the proposed Rook l Project to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC). CNSC staff conducted a completeness check and determined that insufficient information was provided in order to proceed with a technical review. NexGen is expected to provide additional information and resubmit responses to IRs and supporting documents at a later date. More information can be found in the October 5, 2023 letter to NexGen, and completeness check table.

November 18, 2022 - The Federal Indigenous Review Team has completed a technical review of NexGen Energy Ltd’s draft environmental impact statement (EIS) submission and has found that the information provided does not fully address the regulatory requirements for the environmental assessment (EA).  The technical review resulted in 271 information requests (IRs), found in Annex 1, as well as 40 Advice to Proponent comments, found in Annex 2. CNSC staff expects NexGen to submit complete responses to all IRs and Advice to Proponent comments and to re-submit a revised EIS.

July 14, 2022 - The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) is seeking comments during a 90-day public comment period on the draft environmental impact statement (EIS), for the proposed Rook l Project submitted by the proponent, NexGen Energy Ltd (NexGen). The draft EIS and supporting documents can be accessed by visiting the Canadian Impact Assessment Registry for the Rook l Project.

The draft EIS provides an analysis of the project’s potential environmental effects and measures to mitigate those potential impacts.

The public comment period gives Indigenous nations and communities, members of the public, and government departments and agencies an opportunity to submit their views in writing to the CNSC on the adequacy of the information presented in the EIS, as measured against the Generic Guidelines for the Preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement pursuant to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 (the Guidelines), and on the technical merit of the information presented. The Guidelines provide direction to the proponent and identify the information that is required in the EIS.

Written comments must be submitted by October 12, 2022 to:

Nicole Frigault
Environmental Assessment Specialist
Email: rook1@cnsc-ccsn.gc.ca

All comments on the draft EIS will be posted on the Canadian Impact Assessment Registry in the language in which they were received.

June 16, 2022 - On June 13, 2022, NexGen Energy Ltd. submitted a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for the proposed Rook I Project to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC). CNSC staff are currently conducting a 30-day conformity review to ensure that sufficient information has been submitted in accordance with the CNSC Generic Guidelines for the Preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement. If the draft EIS is deemed sufficient, a 90-day technical and public review will commence in July 2022..