Description
This is to advise that on December 7, 2021, Northern Pulp Nova Scotia Corporation, registered the Mill Transformation project for Class II environmental assessment, in accordance with Part IV of the Environment Act. Department of Environment and Climate Change and Climate Change will prepare and release a Draft Terms of Condition for the preparation of an Environment Assessment Report for public review on December 21, 2021.
Northern Pulp Nova Scotia Corporation (NPNS) produces high-quality bleached elemental chlorine-free kraft market pulp at the mill at Abercrombie Point. The NPNS pulp mill is located at Abercrombie Point adjacent to Pictou Harbour in Pictou County, Nova Scotia. The NPNS Mill Transformation Project proposes to upgrade the current mill processes to meet Best Available Technologies to ensure that the mill’s environmental performance meets best in class within Canada. In addition, NPNS will add an advanced tertiary treatment stage to the proposed primary and secondary BAT Effluent Treatment Facility, and propose to discharge effluent into the Pictou Harbour estuary. A description of the proposed project can be found in the Registration Documents.
Following public review of the Draft Terms of Reference, on March 14, 2022, Department of Environment and Climate Change and Climate Change released the final Terms of Reference for preparation of the environmental assessment report for the Mill Transformation and Effluent Treatment Facility Project.
NPNS had up to two years to submit their Environmental Assessment report. At the request of NPNS, on March 8, 2024 the Minister issued a 1-year extension until March 14, 2025. Upon acceptance by Environment and Climate Change, the Minister will then refer the project to the EA Panel. Following the panel’s review, the Minister will have the following decision options: (a) approve the undertaking with or without conditions; or (b) reject the undertaking.
Project Documents
- Final TOR Document
(PDF:746k)
Public Review of Draft Terms of Reference
- Northern Pulp Nova Scotia Corporation (PDF:1.3mb)
- Group Submissions (PDF:20.3mb)
- Individual Submissions (PDF:293.1mb)
Draft Terms of Reference
- Draft TOR Document (PDF:795k)
- Public Notice (PDF:84k)
Registration Documents
- Registration Document (PDF:7.6mb)
- Appendix A to G (PDF:6.4mb)
Opportunities for Public Input
Comments on the Draft Terms of Reference for the preparation of the Environmental Assessment Report were accepted until January 31, 2022. Only those comments related to specifics of the terms of reference will be used to inform the finalization of the Terms of Reference.