P.E.I. group says more time needed to review Northern Pulp plan

There are more calls for a full federal review of Northern Pulp's plan to empty treated waste water into the Northumberland Strait.

The company's 2,000-page plan for a new treatment plant and pipeline was released last week. The public now has a month to review the plan and submit comments to the Nova Scotia government.

On Friday, the group Friends of the Northumberland Strait told a P.E.I. government committee there needs to be more time for consultation.

"Given the complexity of the project, the importance of the strait, the risk that is being proposed, we're suggesting that a fast-tracked, Class 1 environmental assessment is not acceptable," said Jill Graham-Scanlan, the group's president.

15.5-km pipeline

The new treatment facility would be located on Northern Pulp property not far from the existing plant in Pictou County, N.S.

A 15.5-kilometre pipeline would run from the new facility along the shoulder of Highway 106 to Caribou before entering Caribou Harbour next to the Northumberland Ferries terminal. From there, it would discharge roughly four kilometres into the Northumberland Strait.

Concern for lobster stocks

Among the concerns of the plan are the impact it could have on P.E.I. lobster stocks.

P.E.I. Environment Minister Richard Brown assured the group he will push Ottawa to do a larger review before the plan gets the go-ahead.

The federal government plans to look over Northern Pulp's application before deciding if it should step in.

Nova Scotia Environment Minister Margaret Miller has until the end of March to decide whether to grant the company provincial environmental approval.

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