PICTOU LANDING, N.S. — Anticipation broke in a wave of relief inside the band office at Pictou Landing First Nation Dec. 17 after Environment Minister Gordon Wilson announced that Northern Pulp will need to submit more information on its proposed effluent treatment facility.
“That’s what we’ve been asking from the beginning," said Pictou Landing's Chief Andrea Paul. "To make sure that the science they’re providing isn’t going to have any harm on our resources, our fish, our land and our air.”
The controversial project proposed by Northern Pulp would dump treated effluent from the mill at Abercrombie point directly into the Northumberland Strait raising concerns among fishermen's groups, environmentalists and the people of Pictou Landing First Nation.
“This has confirmed to us that our concerns are not wrong,” said Paul. “And we’re thankful that the regulators have been listening and have been taking our concerns seriously.”
Northern Pulp now has up to two years to complete a new assessment and again address areas in which the Department of Environment says it needs further information before finally accepting or rejecting the proposed project.
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In a letter from Wilson to the mill’s general manager, Bruce Chapman, the minister highlighted aspects of the proposed project which regulators have told the company to resolve, including the effect of treated effluent on marine life and impact that treated effluent leaking from the overland portion of the pipe could have on the town of Pictou’s drinking water.
With regards to Boat Harbour, Northern Pulp has applied for an extension, which would prolong use of Boat Harbour as an effluent treatment facility. The facility is legislated to close Jan. 31, 2020, and, without a new place to put its effluent, Northern Pulp cannot continue to operate.
With the Boat Harbour deadline approaching faster than the kraft paper mill can build a replacement effluent facility, Northern Pulp is asking the province to settle its position on a Boat Harbour extension.
As far as Pictou Landing First Nation’s chief and council are concerned, the date is the date.
“We are 44 days away,” said Paul. “This is the closest that Pictou Landing First Nation has ever been to the end of pollution in our yard.”
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