Screen capture from Supreme Court of Canada webpage (click on image to go to the page)
Received today from Don Wilson, who has written many op-eds about NS forestry in Saltwire publications (some cited on NSFN):
After the Pulp Mill
The Supreme Court of Canada web site has published it’s Dec 6, 2019 decision that says pulp mills are responsible for clean up of pollutant(s), not governments, irregardless of indemnity contracts previously given or signed.
That says volumes about the Northern Pulp Mill’s future.
Thus we write that forestry harvesting, and management will continue without this pulp mill because sawmills will buy logs and studwood directly from harvesters, forest co-ops, and private forest lot owners. Forest lot thinning and other management will continue. We can cease exporting unprocessed logs and stud wood.
Hardwood sawmills will benefit from an increase of hardwood logs that are not chipped for use in pulp kraft paper manufacturing or for fuel.
Softwood sawmills will have a two fold benefit from an increase in logs from which they can saw out about 80% dimensional lumber – this is about 35% more than the pulp mill now allows . Lumber dryers will need additional waste wood / bark fuel to dry the additional lumber that sell for more than pulp chips.
The export of wood chips and biomass will continue as will manufacture of wood pellet fuel for export and domestic use. Sales of sawdust and shavings remain strong. PHP can use the local biomass instead of importing from N.B. and Quebec.
The installation of modern wood fueled boilers that run about 80% efficient will continue. Our Heizomat brand will do a first start up at Belfast , PEI Friday , Dec 20.
D.G. Wilson – Member of HFC and a forest lot co-owner.
Brule Point, N.S.