Company unveils $350m plan to revitalize mill
ABERCROMBIE — Paper Excellence has unveiled a new plan to revive Northern Pulp, which it promises will be more environmentally friendly, smell better and even look better.
A tentative timeline presented on Thursday suggested the redesigned mill in Pictou County, if approved, could be constructed between 2023 and 2025.
Northern Pulp was forced into hibernation in January 2020 after an unsuccessful attempt to obtain approval for a new treatment facility in time for the closure of the Boat Harbour Treatment Facility, which the company leased from the province.
“Paper Excellence acknowledges community concerns and wants to work with community members to build trust, finalize a transformation plan for a clean and sustainable mill, and develop a new relationship for the mill and community moving forward,” Graham Kissack, vice-president for environment, health & safety, and corporate communications, said in a news release.
The new $350-million plan will include upgrades that the company says should practically eliminate odour, reduce visible plumes by 70 per cent as well as decrease the amount of water being used in the treatment process.
The treated waste water will be released into Pictou Harbour, adjacent to the mill site. The exact location will be determined through further environmental study and community engagement.
While some of the proposed improvements, including an oxygen delignification system, were proposed in the original plan, a key difference in the new proposal is the addition of a tertiary effluent treatment system. This system will consist of rotating disc filters that will improve water quality released as well as aid in colour removal. If approved and built, it would be only the second of its kind in Canada.
The air quality issues will be improved primarily by converting the recovery boiler to a low-odour configuration. In addition, a wet electrostatic precipitator would be installed to remove fine particles from being released into the air.
The company has also promised to implement the Lahey Report recommendations on Northern Pulp's private lands and Crown allocation.
To keep people updated on the project, the company has created a website: www.tomorrowsmill.ca for people to view the plans and provide feedback.
“We want to make it as easy as possible for community members to receive updates, review science-based information, ask questions, and engage in dialogue about the proposed transformation,” said Kissack.
“In the short-term, we will be hosting virtual and telephone town hall meetings and we will shift to in-person sessions as COVID-19 restrictions are eased.”
The company has filed the project description for the effluent treatment system including tertiary treatment with Nova Scotia's Environment and Climate Change Department. Filing the project description is the first step in the provincial environmental approval process.
“We look forward to working with the Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change, conducting thorough and transparent scientific research, and consulting with the public and aboriginal people throughout the environmental assessment process,” said Kissack.
Town of Pictou Mayor Jim Ryan has expressed concerns, however, about the prospect of treatment effluent being released into the Pictou Harbour. In a live presentation on Thursday, Kissack said their prediction is that releasing the treated effluent into the harbour will have “no material impact.”
But he cautioned that can only be confirmed when they've done due diligence.
“I don't think we can presuppose the findings of the environmental consultant,” he stated. “I think we have to leave it up to them to do that work to tell us what the answer is. “
Asked by Saltwire Network about the risks of untreated effluent escaping into the harbour as a result of a pipe break or mechanical breakdown on-site, Kissack said there is a risk.
“That's exactly why as part of the project we're implementing a very large spill basin and that spill basin acts as the diversion point for any discharge liquors from the facility or any other chemicals. That basically is the protection device between the mill and waste water treatment.”
In their presentation, they acknowledged the need to build more trust in the community and reconcile with Pictou Landing First Nation.
“We are striving to improve our relations with PLFN,” said Dale Patterson, who is lead on the transformation project. “We keep Chief Andrea posted on issues as we move forward. We have not had a lot of detailed discussions with Chief Andrea. We will continue to reach out. We will continue to strive to reconcile our differences and have fruitful discussions with Chief Andrea and PLFN.”
Chief Andrea Paul posted on Facebook shortly after Northern Pulp's presentation that she would be meeting with her council, legal and engineering company next week to review the information. She said she was not invited to a previous meeting with local municipal leaders about the proposed project.
“Just to explain — consultation is a requirement,” she stated on Facebook. “The proponent has to consult with PLFN. It is not because they are doing any of this in good faith. The Mi'kmaqNova Scotia-canada Consultation Terms of Reference lays out a consultation process for the parties to follow when governments are making decisions that have the potential to adversely impact asserted Mi'kmaq Aboriginal and treaty rights.”
The plan was welcomed by the union representing Northern Pulp's employees.
“We hope Northern Pulp's plan to transform the mill into one of the world's cleanest will meet Nova Scotia's environmental standards so workers can get back to their good jobs that are vital to the province's forestry sector,” said Unifor national president Jerry Dias in a news release.
Unifor represents 300 local workers laid off in 2020 when Northern Pulp paused operations. More than 2,500 jobs related to the operation of the mill were also affected.
“Many workers are relieved to learn that the company has taken the first step in the provincial environmental approval process, by filing a project description,” said the release.