Backing Northern Pulp’s new plan

At first, it was “no pipe into the strait,” and the new plan doesn’t have a pipe. The mayor said he would always oppose a pipeline through the town’s watershed and the new plan doesn’t involve the town’s watershed. It appears it doesn’t matter what the plans are and what the science says, the mayor and Jill Scanlan will always be opposed to a modernized mill.

The mayor’s quote “the discharge of any fluid, treated or untreated, into Pictou Harbour is unacceptable” sets a new standard for hypocrisy. Perhaps the mayor should share with residents the results of the current fluids flowing into Pictou Harbour. Fluids produced by the town’s own wastewater system. What is clear is the new Northern Pulp plan would clean the effluent to a far greater extent than the town’s wastewater system currently does. Perhaps, he doesn’t want to be shown up.

As Friends of the New Northern Pulp, we want the new Northern Pulp plan to be subjected to a tough, fair and science-based environmental review process to ensure it is safe for the environment. We know there are 88 other mills in Canada, and the Northern Pulp plan would make the mill among the cleanest in Canada. Certainly, that is worth a serious and fair review.

We urge the mayor and Ms. Scanlan to keep asking questions but do so for the betterment of the whole community. We believe that we can have a clean mill and a healthy environment, a vibrant forest industry and a strong Nova Scotia economy, and we should all try to be objective.

Robin Wilber

Chairperson, Friends of New Northern Pulp