Years ago, the noxious odours that regularly crept along the valley floor from Kamloops Pulp were called the smell of money.

Yes, the total reduced sulfur smelled like rotten eggs, but it was harmless in small concentrations. The mill supported hundreds of families and worked in tandem with the regional sawmill industry by purchasing its woodwaste. Operator Weyerhaeuser Co. was a generous donor to an array of community causes.

In the early ’90s, Weyerhaeuser installed millions of dollars worth of emissions equipment to substantially curtail its smell.

Since then, Weyerhaeuser and successor Domtar Corp. have come under increased government scrutiny for stack emissions, culminating in the latest order the mill must reduce particulate — which is a health concern — by more than 60 per cent by 2016.

The stack, together with Lafarge North America’s cement plant and Arclin’s resin plant on the Kamloops Indian reserve are the city’s visible point sources of pollution.

But the mountain pine beetle infestation and resulting glut of decaying wood has spawned a new industrial opportunity, one that some city residents are questioning.

Should Kamloops promote bioenergy – smaller and cleaner, to be sure, but smokestacks all the same?

“We promote this as the Tournament Capital and Communities in Bloom yet we want to attract companies with polluting stacks in the city limits,” said Mike Williams.

Together with wife Lorna, the computer security analyst formed Save Kamloops in response to an application by a Manitoba-based company that wants to convert creosote railway ties into energy through a pilot gasification process.

Now he is taking aim at Venture Kamloops and its promotion of bioenergy in a valley he said is too small with too many people to promote wood-burning industry.

“If we want to attract people I don’t think it’s good. Business will go to towns without these industries.”

Williams has no quibble with Domtar and its plans to install valley-level stacks, arguing “they’re here already” and he’s focusing on the future.

That future, says Venture Kamloops, is in bioenergy.

Kamloops is prime to include bioenergy as a primary "pillar" for ongoing economic growth,” states the Venture Kamloops website. 

“There is a geographic advantage with regard to proximity to several sawmills, which gives a competitive wood waste cost incentive. Interest in our community also stems from the available beetle kill wood and chips/pulp in our region that can support feedstock requirements. This raw wood waste could support future biorefinery production needs.”

“Without an airshed plan in place, how can we attract that kind of business?” Williams asked.

Kamloops is one of the few cities in the Interior that doesn’t have an airshed management plan. Plans typically detail sources of pollution and contain plans to improve air quality over time.

“Even Merritt has an airshed plan. Prince George has it,” Williams said “The Okanagan has it. We need to know what’s going on. What is the effect of all these plans?

Public works and utilities director David Duckworth said the City will undertake an airshed management plan as early as next year, adding it will form part of the Sustainable Kamloops plan.

Despite the loud critical voices from a small number of people, Mayor Peter Milobar said he supports seeking opportunities for the industry in the valley.

“For them (Venture Kamloops) to ignore the fact we’re surrounded by trees impacted by pine beetle would be more troubling.”

Kamloops council has recommended against approval of Aboriginal Co-generation’s proposal to gasify railroad ties at Mission Flats. But it has supported every other emitter, including Domtar, in permit applications to the Ministry of Environment.

SBC Firemaster’s pellet plant on the city’s eastern side is the latest. Other proposals include a biofuel plant, a joint-venture with the Tk’emlups Indian Band, that has not come before the City for comment.

The first of its kind was Nexterra Energy’s successful gasification pilot plant in Campbell Creek, which led to adoption of the technology for woodwaste at Tolko Industries Ltd.’s Heffley Creek plywood plant.

“It’s not as simple as saying “don’t do this,” Milobar argued. “They’re (Venture Kamloops) not looking for 50 projects. They’re pointing out the obvious: we’re surrounded by fuel and it’s been affected by mountain pine beetle.”

Chris Ortner, a consulting forester and former head of Venture Kamloops, said the city must chase new opportunities.

“We want economic development. Almost all our factories have disappeared. We want good jobs for young people. Are we going to have all $10 to $15 an hour service jobs?”

While Ortner supports chasing opportunities for bioenergy – arguing “it’s clean energy. It’s carbon neutral energy. It’s part of B.C.’s bioenergy plan” – he agrees on the need for an airshed management plan and the option that plants could be located in the region, outside Kamloops, or at higher elevations to particulate is not trapped in the valley.

Williams said the lack of an airshed plan is a major problem at the same time the city is promoting bioenergy options. He also believes many plants would be better situated outside Kamloops and in rural areas with better ventilation and fewer people.

“Not in our city limits. There’s other places where these things can be built… . B.C. has vast land with railways and power lines everywhere. Why put it in a densely populated valley?”