Domtar emissions target may be hit sooner

Air quality in Kamloops could improve well ahead of a 2016 deadline if Domtar Corp. directs its federal black liquor credits to the Kamloops mill.

The Ministry of Environment granted Domtar a three-year extension this week to its permit, pushing back tougher air pollution controls until 2016.

But a spokeswoman said Wednesday if the company board directs some of the $143 million in black liquor credits it received from Ottawa to its Kamloops pulp mill the work to reduce emissions by 70 per cent will be done years earlier.

“If we were able to take a capital project forward under the Pulp and Paper Green Transformation program, we believe that we could complete the majority of the required construction by the end date of the program of March 31, 2012,” said Bonny Skene.

Black liquor credits awarded by Ottawa are meant as a one-time subsidy to match those given in the United States, where companies that have burned the byproduct of kraft pulp making for decades found a tax loophole to gain credits for doing so.

But an opponent of Domtar Corp.’s plans vowed Wednesday she will appeal the ministry’s permit.

“The good news from our side is we’re prepared for an appeal,” said Bronwen Scott, part of a small group of residents who opposed granting an extension of the deadline to 2016.

Domtar asked the ministry in June to give it three more years to meet tougher requirements in light of the worldwide economic crisis that made raising capital for improvements difficult or impossible.

As part of its application, the corporation also asked for approval to meet reduction targets through use of two new valley-level stacks. The promised reduction is now 70 per cent below current levels, rather than 60 per cent that was originally to come in force two years ago.

Scott and fellow environmentalist Ruth Madsen claim the two new twin stacks will worsen air quality for residents because they are at valley level.

“We have good evidence, primarily the fact the modeling Domtar used to show it wouldn’t harm people in Kamloops is suspect.”

Scott said the modeling software used by a Domtar consultant is designed for long-range analysis and dated software was used in the Kamloops study.

She also said the ministry ignored a recommendation from Interior Health Authority that Domtar have a back-up plan in case modeling is incorrect and emissions from the valley-level stacks pollute the airshed with PM 2.5 particulate.

Appeals of ministry decisions to the B.C. Environmental Appeal Board must be made 30 days after notifications are distributed. The board can decide not to hear appeals if it feels there is no justification.

Skene said the company followed ministry guidelines and the appeal process is in government’s hands.

The province intends to double the number of air monitoring stations in Kamloops to ensure air quality improves with the proposed Domtar improvements.

cfortems@kamloopsnews.ca

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