Ecological Risk Assessment (ERA) completed:
Soils Study partners to announce results in March

SUDBURY, ON – After six years of fieldwork and data analysis, the Technical Committee overseeing the Sudbury Soils Study will announce the results of the Ecological Risk Assessment (ERA) at a public information session in March.

The findings and conclusions of the ERA (Volume III of the Sudbury Soils Study) will be presented by the Sudbury Area Risk Assessment (SARA) Group on Tuesday, March 31, 2009, at Science North.

This public open house will include information stations staffed by representatives of stakeholders involved in the study. These include the Ontario Ministry of the Environment (MOE), the City of Greater Sudbury, the Sudbury & District Health Unit, the Public Advisory Committee (PAC), Vale Inco, and Xstrata Nickel. Technical specialists, provincial regulators, and environmental scientists will be available to provide insights and answer questions. This session is open to all members of the public.

The SARA Group will provide two public presentations outlining the results, followed by opportunities for questions. The presentations are scheduled for 3:30 pm and 7:00 pm, and are expected to last approximately 40 minutes. Representatives from the City, Vale Inco, and Xstrata Nickel will also share plans for public consultation on community-based initiatives to enhance biodiversity and re-greening activities in the Sudbury area. The remaining time will allow the public to talk to the assembled experts and study partners, one-on-one.

Copies of the ERA technical report will be available at the information session, along with a summary report that provides an overview of the approach and findings of the ERA. Both reports will also be available for public review at local libraries and other information repositories beginning April 3.

Between April 3 and September 4, 2009, members of the public are invited to submit comments on the ERA report to the SARA Group and members of the Technical Committee. Responses to all comments received in writing during this period will be summarized and provided as an Appendix to the final report. More information on the public comment period will be announced at the community information sessions and in the local media.

The complete Sudbury Soils Study is comprised of three volumes:

Volume I: Background, Study Organization and 2001 Soils Survey;

Volume II: Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA); and
Volume III: Ecological Risk Assessment (ERA).

Volumes I and II were released to the public in May 2008. The information session on March 31 will offer the public a summary of the key findings contained in Volume III (ERA), which focuses on the environmental risk of historic mining and industrial activity in the area.

The Sudbury Soils Study is one of the most comprehensive studies of its kind ever conducted in Canada. Technical Committee members overseeing the study include representatives from the City of Greater Sudbury, Ontario Ministry of the Environment (MOE), Sudbury & District Health Unit (SDHU), Health Canada First Nations & Inuit Health Branch, Vale Inco, and Xstrata Nickel.

MEDIA BRIEFING: A media briefing will be held on March 31, 2009, at 12:30 pm, at Science North. Further details to be announced in future media advisories.

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For more information, contact:

For more information on the Sudbury Soils Study, contact SARA Project Director, Dr. Christopher Wren – Toll-free phone: 1-866-315-0228. Email: questions@sudburysoilsstudy.com