Pulp Mill Under Fire To Clean Up Environmental Nightmare

A Pictou County pulp mill is under fire from local residents and businesses over its level of emissions and some are worried Northern Pulp might be forced to close. The province’s environment minister Randy Delorey won’t say if the province might shut down the operation if it doesn’t soon clean up its act. Progressive Conservative Leader Jamie Baillie says the province is being portrayed by the media across Canada as willing to circumvent environmental laws for the sake of maintaining jobs. Baillie says he’s offended by that and what he says is the McNeil government’s lack of determination to settle the issue. He tells us: “This can be a strong, vibrant, proud province! All it takes is the leadership to standup for our basic environmental laws, like our air emission standards and to insist that companies that operate here operate within those laws.” Baillie met Thursday with officials of an environmental group “Clean Pictou Air” and officials at Northern Pulp. The company claims its aging equipment is not filtering emissions to keep up with environmental standards. Business owners say the intense sulphur smell is also ruining the local tourism industry. Environment Minister Randy Delory says a stack test will be done later this month with the results in the fall. he isn’t saying if they’ll be made public.