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Northern Pulp withdraws EA application, will redevelop plans

Northern Pulp has withdrawn its application to the province of Nova Scotia for an environmental assessment review of its proposed replacement effluent treatment facility.

The company says it is creating a new plan for the kraft pulp mill after engaging with stakeholders since the mill closed in January 2020.

“The withdrawal of the environmental assessment registration puts an end to previous plans and approaches and is an important step toward the future of the mill and rebuilding relationships with local residents, special interest groups and First Nations,” says Graham Kissack, vice-president, environment, health, and safety and communications, in a statement.

“We have taken the time to listen and review input received over the past few years to inform the development of environmental transformation and modernization plans for everything from community engagement to forestry practices to addressing odour, air, and water emissions,” says Kissack. “We are committed to doing things differently.”

The environmental transformation and modernization plans include a public dashboard to display live environmental data, third-party administration of environmental compliance testing, new advanced effluent treatment systems, and the implementation of oxygen delignification, among other elements.

The company says it plans to engage with the local and Indigenous communities for their input and feedback on proposed transformation plans and register a new advanced effluent treatment facility project with the Minister of Environment and Climate Change in May 2021.

More details about Northern Pulp’s environmental transformation and modernization plans and community engagement will be released in the coming weeks, the mill says.

Cleanup of the Boat Harbour aeration lagoons is ongoing.