PORT MELLON PULP MILL

Victoria confirms toxi

3 ~ Friday, June 5, 1987 - Nori Shore News

c gas

levels higher than permitted

A B.C. Ministry of Environment review of air emission
readings from Canadian Forest Products’ (Canfor) Port
Mellon Pulp mili has confirmed that toxic gases produced
by the Howe Sound mill have exceeded levels allowed under
the terms of its permit and variance orders.

The sulphur and particulate
flyash emissions, which drift over
Howe Sound to West Vancouver,
have raised a recent outcry from
area residents who have complain-
ed that the good health of their
environment is threatened by the
pollution.

West Vancouver resident Terry
Jacks, who has spearheaded the
movement to force the mill to
upgrade its equipment and comply
with the terms of its permit and
meet provincial air emission stan-
dards, said Tuesday he received
confirmation from B.C.’s Minister
of Environment Bruce Strachan in
a May 27 letter that a review of
ministry figures showed the Port
Mellon mill had not complied with

its permitted air emission levels
and the obligations of its variance
orders.

“Pm ecstatic,’’ Jacks said.
“After 24% years and four en-
vironment ministers, I finally have
written confirmation from the
ministry that the mill has been ex-
ceeding its permitted levels and
that something will be done about
it by July 1, 1988."

In addition to confirming the
mill’s non-compliance with pro-
vincial air standards for Totally
Reduced Sulphur (TRS) and par-
ticulate flyash, the letter to Jacks

from Strachan stated that the
ministry would establish a firm
timetable with the mill’s senior
management on the steps needed
to improve the quality of air emis-
sions from the mill and would in-
form Jacks in writing when the
timetable was finalized.

Strachan’s letter to Jacks
follows an April 16 meeting be-
tween the West Vancouver resident
and the minister in which
assurances were given to Jacks that
all the mill’s current air pollution

monitoring figures would be
rechecked. ‘
In that meeting, Jacks said

Strachan had also promised him
there would be no further exten-
sions to the mill’s permit and
variance orders.

Strachan said Thursday ‘‘there
would have to be very compelling
reasons (for any extension).’’

The 79-year-old Port Mellon
mill, which has not met provincial

Lynn Valley celebrates

DESPITE WET weather, a good time was had by all at Lynn Valley Day, held last

‘Saturday. Above, Tina Paray wore her finest spring clothes despite (he downpour. Music
from a band raises spirits (top right photo) during the parade. Three-year-old Bart
Taylor (bottom right photo) gets a good view of the parade atop father Vic’s shoulders.
North Shore News carriers got into the fun by distributing candies and balloons from

their newspaper bags.

air pollution standards since 1978,
was granted special permission in
December 1986 from then-en-
vironment minister Stephen Rogers
to continue exceeding air pollution
standards until June 30, 1988.

Responding to complaints from
West Vancouver residents and a
3,000-name petition collected by
Jacks that objected to the mill’s
application to have its air emis-
sions measured under a *‘bubble’’
or averaging system, Canfor held
three open houses in Sechelt and in
West Vancouver from April 21 to
23.

The open houses explained the
mill’s operation and the steps mill
management has taken to curb
pollution from the mill.

Mill manager Harry Cargo has
said Canfor has invested $20 mil-
lion on pollution controls at the
mill over the past nine years and
plans to spend another $2.3 million
in 1987-88 to further reduce odors

caused by the mill’s TRS emis-
sions.

He said the mill had applied for
the emission averaging system
because reducing the total air
emissions from the mill was more
cost-efficient than reducing emis-
sions from specific stacks.

But Jacks has argued that the
bubble system would allow the
company to maintain current
emission levels.

Cargo said Thursday he knew
nothing about the letter from
Strachan to Jacks, ‘‘but we are ac-
tively seeking a meeting with the
ministry to define further policy.
We are not trying to shy away
from anything.’’

Jacks, who released his lastest
record album earlier this year, said
he had begun his campaign against
the mill because of health concerns
for the area, not for personal .
publicity. :