Boat Harbour Progress
One of Pictou County's largest employers, the Kimberly-Clark Pulp Mill at Abercrombie Point, will soon sign a 25-year lease extension with the provincial government. The extension clears the way for the continued operation of the company's wastewater treatment system at Boat Harbour.
"This is a tremendous announcement for the future of Pictou County," said Ron Russell, Minister of Transportation and Public Works, following cabinet approval of the lease extension. "Not only is this good news for people who work at the plant and live in the area, but this site is one of Canada's success stories when it comes to environmental management."
"Our employees and the system operators have set very high standards of performance for our wastewater treatment," said Jim Piedmonte, president and general manager of Kimberly-Clark. "This has allowed the continued use of the system to become the best option for the environment and for the future of our operations here in Nova Scotia." Since the company assumed responsibility for operating the system in early 1996, it has opened its doors to visitors, particularly local students and teachers studying the application of biology to the treatment of industrial wastewater.
The province will work closely with the company, community representatives and the Pictou Landing First Nation as plans proceed to return Boat Harbour lagoon to a tidal estuary. The lagoon will no longer be required as part of the system since the company is proposing to use a pipeline to carry treated wastewater to its present discharge location.
"Now that issues around the lease are resolved, it's time to roll up our sleeves to make sure all the proper water and air tests continue, and that the information is made available to the public," said Mr. Russell. "In fact, we're asking community representatives to participate as members of the Boat Harbour Committee, which also includes representatives from Kimberly- Clark, Pictou Landing First Nation, five federal government departments and two provincial departments."
"We're looking forward to raising issues and discussing them with other partners in this project," said Bill Palmer, a member of the Pictou Landing Committee. The committee represents several hundred residents in the area who have asked to play a role in future planning.
"This is great progress," said Dan MacDonald, an advisor on environmental issues to the Pictou Landing First Nation. "Many times since the mid-1960s we wondered if the day would ever come when this lagoon would be returned to a tidal body. And we're getting closer. We look forward to the day when there's a new fish habitat."
Not only does effluent leaving the Boat Harbour lagoon meet all federal and provincial guidelines, but it exceeds federal effluent standards by 10 times. Studies carried out to date do not indicate any health risks to nearby residents.
"Public safety is always paramount when large industrial operations exist near rural communities," said Mr. Russell. "So we'll continue our diligence when it comes to monitoring and reporting test results."
A pulp mill has operated at Abercrombie Point since 1967. Treatment facilities have been owned by the province since construction in 1966, but for the past six years the facility has been operated by Kimberly-Clark under a lease arrangement with the province.