A coal burning proposal for Port Mellon is causing local and regional officials to question why the Ministry of Environment hasn't involved the Sea to Sky.
"It certainly has not been overly publicized," said Mayor Ian Sutherland.
The Port Mellon mill power boiler has relied on about 15 per cent coal fuel since May 28 - eight months into a nine-month trial period that the Ministry of Environment imposed on the Howe Sound Pulp and Paper after a request to use coal.
A recent report by SLRD described the trial period as a "retrograde action in the context of present initiatives to manage, maintain and improve air quality within Howe Sound."
A call for public input was published Aug. 31 in a selection of newspapers such as the Vancouver Sun and the B.C. Gazette, but Sutherland said he fears the message hasn't gotten out. He added the notices lacked information required for meaningful input.
"It's a fairly complicated referral we definitely need more information," he said.
Sutherland is working with the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) for an extension on the comment period for a stakeholders' meeting to get up to speed on the issue.
Nothing in the mill's permit, issued in 1978, prohibits them from using coal. according to Steffanie Warriner. acting manager of environmental protection for the Lower Mainland. Warriner said this loophole marks an oversight in the original permit.
"The existing permit was not intended to allow a provision to burn coal," she said.
Now, the Ministry of Environment (MOE) is working to amend the mill's burning permit to keep a better eye on air quality during the trial period.
"We would amend the permit so that the proper monitoring requirements are in the permit," she said. "We have provisions to make sure they're going to do more monitoring then they are right now."
Part of their approach, she said, will be influenced by public feedback. On Aug. 31, the ministry opened a 30-day window to hear from "any person that may be adversely affected."
If an extension for public input is not granted, the community will have until Sept. 30 to submit their comments in writing to MOE.
Glenne Campbell, member of the Brackendale Owners and Tenants Association said she's hoping to host a meeting for all Squamish residents.
Campbell said she was made aware of the proposal by Cindy Walsh, head of the MOE's Environmental Protection Division. Campbell has since invited Walsh to speak to the community.
With the Olympics on the way, Campbell said protecting air quality is more important than ever.
"I just feel we have to be very diligent. We have to do as much as we can to nurture our town and village," she said.Warriner said she is also interested protecting the environment but would like to avoid the extension. "Right now we're planning on the 30-day period but if during this period we get the impression that additional input is going to be necessary to make our decision we could consider extending it."
She noted that an extended comment period could delay the permit, leaving the ministry with less time to enforce stricter monitoring guidelines.
The mill creates kraft pulp - part of the production of paper pulp - as well as newsprint, and prides itself on its environmentally friendly practices, according to the company website.
"We take our environmental responsibility very seriously," states the website, "and have installed the best proven environmental protection technology available."
As part of this commitment, the mill maintains an air monitoring station near the Langdale Ferry Terminal to measure gases and particulate matter in the local atmosphere.
Warriner maintained that if the mill's coal burning were shown to have any negative effects on the environment, the burning would be stopped. No other pulp mills in the Lower Mainland use coal for fuel. However, Warriner said that a pulp mill on Vancouver Island that burns coal has not been shown to harm air quality.
For more information contact Steffanie Warriner, [email protected].
