spreading mill waste

[philip@prcn.org (Philip Fleischer)]

Last year Macmillan Bloedel Powell River Division (Pulp and Paper) had
the consultants PGL Organix put togrether a proposal for the disposal of:
Primary sludge, secondary sludge, grate (bottom) ash and green liquor
dregs by spreading them on land.

Opposition from people in the community caused MB to withdraw their
permit application.  But, MB said they wanted to go ahead with the ash
and dregs, and the toxicty of the sludge would be less before they tried
again for a permit to spread that.

At an open house presentation just after they anounced the change of
application, I asked to see their revised permit application but was they
had nothing to show me at the time.

I should have made the request in writing to see such an application
whenever they did write it because I have just heard today that some
permit is an advanced stage of approval for the ash and dregs.  Details
yet unclear to me, also whether or not the official window on public
comment or appeals is still open, but I will likely post more information
on this issue.

The issue of sneaking through permit applications is troubling.  I can not
read every publication where these things might be posted.  But, it is well
known that people like myself and many others around here now are very
interested in knowing all details of permit applications etc. at the
earliest stages possible.

This problem is simliar to that Scott Sederstrom <sederstrom@igc.apc.org>
described in the dioxin-l posting 'Great Lakes Virtual Elim. Strategy'.

I think it would be useful whenever we see cases of this to point it out
on discussion lists like this and to remind the regulators and permit
applicants that this strategy proves they have something to hide.




Philip Fleischer   philip@prcn.org