On your question about whether there are effects on groundwater, I would say yes. It's been an issue that review panels and environmental assessments have looked at in the Athabasca region. Certainly before you would look at mining an area, typically they want to depressurize it, which means lowering the water table so it doesn't become an issue. Looking at the effects on groundwater is certainly something that our review panels have done in the past.
On June 18th, 2008. See this statement in context.