The International Fusion Energy Institute, a proxy corporation established to own and operate the actual ITER facility at Clarington, Ontario, just outside Toronto, on the shores of Lake Ontario, has initiated the formal processes to obtain a license to construct Iter from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC). One of the first steps taken by the CNSC is to trigger the environmental assessment, which they did on April 11. The project is now officially registered on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency's web site under its public registry FEAI#27068. You will find it at http://www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca/cgi-bin/PRS/report.cfm?FeaiNo=27068.

The project has been designated as a screen level environmental assessment.

The international ITER team has now updated and completed the design for a generic site. The final reviews are underway, and participants are optimistic that these will be followed by the beginning of "negotiations," with the planned first negotiations meeting in Moscow in June. By then the Canadian team hopes to have its site bid submitted by the Canadian Federal Government to the ITER parties, such that Canada becomes a full participant in the negotiations at that time.

The ITER Canada team will make a presentation to the USDOE Fusion Energy Science Advisory Committee (FESAC) at its July meeting. The presentation will focus on the progress Iter has made towards implementation, the many benefits to all parties of Canada as a host site, and the potential value to the U.S. of rejoining the ITER project.