Description

This is to advise that on February 7, 2019, Northern Pulp Nova Scotia Corporation (Northern Pulp) registered the Replacement Effluent Treatment Facility Project for environmental assessment, in accordance with Part IV of the Environment Act.

The purpose of the Project is to replace the existing effluent treatment facility (ETF) with a new one to treat wastewater received from the Northern Pulp pulp mill at Abercrombie Point, Pictou County. The Project includes a new ETF and a new effluent pipeline that will carry treated effluent to be discharged in the Northumberland Strait.

Northern Pulp intends to use an AnoxKaldnes BAS™ biological activated sludge treatment process purchased from Veolia Water Technologies, which combines moving bed biofilm reactor technology with conventional activated sludge. Once treated, effluent would be sent via an approximately 15.5 kilometers-long pipeline. The effluent pipeline would follow the Highway 106 for approximately 11.4 kilometers, then enter the marine environment near the Northumberland Ferries marine terminal, and continue for approximately 4.1 kilometers through Caribou Harbour to the Northumberland Strait where the treated effluent would be discharged via an engineered diffuser.

Minister's Decision

On March 29, 2019, the Minister of Environment released a decision  (PDF: 191k) concerning this review. The Minister has determined that the registration information is insufficient to make a decision on the project, and a focus report is required in accordance with clause 13(1)c of the Environmental Assessment Regulations, pursuant to Part IV of the Environment Act. 

Project Documents

• Focus Report Terms of Reference (PDF:630k)
• Minister’s Decision (PDF:191k)
• Public Notice (PDF:102k)
• Comments Received during Class I Environmental Assessment Process
  • Document of all submissions - 4,423 pages  (PDF:138.4mb)
  • Breakdown of the submissions received:
  • Government submissions  (PDF:9.8mb)
  • Pictou Landing First Nation submissions  (PDF:3.4mb)
  • Group submissions from:  (PDF:5.3mb)
    • Clean Ocean Action Committee
    • Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society
    • Ecology Action Centre
    • Forest Nova Scotia
    • Harbour Authority of Caribou
    • Nova Scotia Salmon Association and Atlantic Salmon Federation
    • Save our Seas and Shores Coalition
    • Shore Nova Scotia Chapter, Council of Canadians
    • Sierra Club Canada Foundation
    • Tourism Industry Association of NS
    • UA Local 244
    • UNIFOR
  • EcoJustice submission A – part 1  (PDF:10.5mb)
  • EcoJustice submission A – part 2  (PDF:16.2mb)
  • EcoJustice submission B – part 1  (PDF:17.2mb)
  • EcoJustice submission B – part 2  (PDF:32.4mb)
  • Gulf Nova Scotia Fleet Planning Board and Fishermen's Working Group submissions  (PDF:24.1mb)
  • Individual public submissions – part 1 (Feb. 7 – Mar. 4, 2019)  (PDF:17.2mb)
  • Individual public submissions – part 2 (Mar. 4 – Mar. 9, 2019)  (PDF:25.4mb)

Registration Document

• Registration Document – Section 1-7 (PDF:4.3mb)
• Registration Document – Section 8 (PDF:9.4mb)
• Registration Document – Section 9 - 15 (PDF:1.2mb)
• Appendix A - D (PDF:2.5mb)
• Appendix E1 - E2 (PDF:6.3mb)
• Appendix E3 (PDF:8.8mb)
• Appendix F – H (PDF:3.1mb)
• Appendix I1 – I2 (PDF:3mb)
• Appendix I3 (PDF:4.4mb)
• Appendix I4 (PDF:6.5mb)
• Appendix J1(part 1) (PDF:6.9mb)
• Appendix J1(part 2) (PDF:9.5mb)
• Appendix J2 – K1(part 1) (PDF:5.9mb)
• Appendix K1(part 2) – K2 (PDF:7.5mb)
• Appendix L (PDF:3.9mb)
• Appendix M – N (PDF:5.4mb)
• Appendix O - R (PDF:6.9mb)

Opportunities for Public Input

Public comments on the Registration Document were accepted until March 9, 2019.

All comments received from the public consultation are posted on the department’s website for public viewing. In the case of an individual, the address, email and contact information are removed before being placed on the website. By submitting your comments, you are consenting to the posting of your comments on the department’s website.