Focus Report Required from Northern Pulp

Environment Minister Margaret Miller released her decision today, March 29, on the environmental assessment of Northern Pulp’s proposed effluent treatment plant.

The minister’s decision is to require the company to submit a focus report that provides more information.

“We make our decisions based on science and evidence” said Ms. Miller. “In this case, I require more information to determine the impacts on the environment.”

Through the environmental assessment process, the department received comments from government reviewers and more than 900 submissions from the public. The decision and the comments are available at https://novascotia.ca/nse/ea/Replacement_Effluent_Treatment_Facility_Project/.

By April 24, the department will give Northern Pulp terms of reference for the focus report and post them on the department website. The company has up to one year from that date to submit the report.

The focus report will be posted on the department website and the public will have 30 days to comment. Government reviewers will also submit comments.

At that point, the minister’s decision options are to accept the project, reject it, or require an environmental assessment report.

More information about the process is available at https://novascotia.ca/nse/ea/docs/Reg_Time_Frames_EA_Dec2018.pdf .