The public can now weigh in on the pulp mill's environmental impact statement. (Susan McNeil/paNOW)

By Susan McNeil

Prince Albert Pulp

Public can weigh in on pulp mill environmental document online

Mar 17, 2023 | 3:00 PM

Another step has been taken in the road to re-opening the pulp mill at the northern edge of Prince Albert with the filing of the environmental impact statement (EIS) with the province.

Prince Albert Pulp announced on Friday that document is now available for public review on Sask. Environment’s website and that the public can now make comment.

“The PAPI project cannot move forward until this process has been completed and we receive our permits. We are happy to say that the EIS is now available for public review, and has been publicly posted online so the public can review it and provide feedback,” said the company on its social media channel.

Along with ministerial approval, the project also is dependent on market conditions and financing, but full time staff are on-site at the mill and some local contractors have also been hired.

“The PAPI team continues to actively engage with Indigenous rights holders on the project, as well as support the Prince Albert community and beyond,” the company said. .

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According to the EIS, improvements being made will reduce water consumption and increase the recycling of filtrates, reduce steam and energy consumption for a lower carbon footprint and lower the amount of solids and other by-products that enter the sewer system along with a raft of other benefits.

“The operation is expected to produce 50,700 tonnes (metric) CO2 annually, a 62% drop in GHG emissions from historical operations at the mill,” says the EIS.

The facility itself only needs outside power during generator outages and for the startup and shutdown of operations. The remainder of the time, it creates its own energy with extractions from the wood chips.

A variety of other assessments have been done such as air dispersion modelling, downstream impact on the river, how fish and their habitat will be impacted, fogs, noise and groundwater and even traffic and a risk analysis on the mill equipment.

James Smith Cree Nation was given input into the where water samples should be taken from the river and had a monitor be part of the sampling.

Noted is the detail that the river is part of the water supply for Codette Lake, south of Nipawin and the Melfort Regional Water Supply system and a provincial fish pond operation.

One Sky’s oriented strand board mill is planned to be built near the pulp mill so the two facilities can share things like log handling areas, electric, natural gas and rail infrastructure and waste from the OSB mill will be used as fuel in the pulp mill’s boiler.

Another environmental assessment was completed by One Sky.

According to its application, the project is also expected to create 250 direct jobs in the facility, another 350 in areas like supplying the wood and indirect jobs beyond that.

It pays $1.3 million to the City in property taxes plus another $100 million in taxes and revenue for the higher levels of government.

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com