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Council leery but okays Norske's test burns |
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Duncan Citizen
Posted on Friday, October 17, 2004 @ 20:40:38 PDT
By Lexi Bainas and Christina Martens
Citizen Staff
Members of North Cowichan council aren't thrilled with the idea that
NorskeCanada's Crofton Division will be burning tires, railroad ties
and coal in its No. 4 power boiler.
"The jury is still out on the burning of railway ties," Coun. Jean Crowder said Wednesday.
A byproduct from the burning of the creosote on the ties could pose a
health risk, she said. "All we've got is Norske's view of it but no
somebody else's view."
Council was discussing a referral from the Ministry of Water, Land and
Air Protection to see if North Cowichan has any objections to
NorskeCanada's application to a 30-month test of the three new fuels to
help improve power boiler efficiency.
Vancouver Island coal, rubber wafers from used tires and railway ties
would supplement waste bark to improve boiler efficiency and reduce the
operation's dependence on more expensive natural gas and bunker C oil
as auxiliary fuels.
"The concept is to raise the temperature of hog fuel by adding these
elements," said Mayor Jon Lefebure. "By getting a better burn, the hope
is to reduce pollutants."
A complete report detailing the trial and its results is to be
submitted to the ministry and made available for public review. The
ministry's decision on this application is expected to take several
months.
Crowder said that sounds fine on paper but she'd be more willing to go
with the test if it was being conducted by an independent body - not
the government or the company.
"The community has no faith that the ministry will follow-up with its own test results," she said.
During the 30-month trial period at Crofton, NorskeCanada proposes to
test each fuel in combination with waste bark in its No. 4 power boiler.
. Vancouver Island coal would be combined with hog fuel to a maximum of 20 per cent of the total fuel heating value.
. Rubber wafers from recycled tires would be combined with hog fuel to a maximum of 10 per cent by mass.
. Chipped waste railway ties would be combined with hog fuel to a maximum of 15 per cent by mass.
The No. 4 power boiler currently operates well within provincial emissions limits, according to NorskeCanada.
Over the past three years, Crofton Division has spent $17 million
upgrading the boiler's emissions controls, installing a hog fuel press
system (to mechanically dry the bark) and upgrading the boiler's
computerized control system.
The mill will host a public information session this Fall to gather
public input on the proposed trial, which is a requirement of the
application and gives the public a chance to learn about the project
and give their opinions, said Graham Kissack, environment director for
Crofton Division.
"It's a winner all around," he said. "It's better economically and we
can reduce our dependence on expensive fossil fuels, plus we can use
waste products that are clogging up our landfills."
Lynn Nash, Mayor of the District of Campbell River, said a trial run by
NorskeCanada has already been completed at Elk Falls operation had
positive ramifications for his area.
"We're delighted the experiment took place," he said. "The fuel - it's
clean-burning coal - does the job and it came from our own Quinsam Coal
Mine."
However, some people are still "very skeptical" about burning coal, he
said. "I'd like to see the experimentation continue. Technology is
different today to what it was 40, 50 or 60 years ago."
NorskeCanada has also run tests in Port Alberni. Mayor Ken McRae said
there haven't been any problems and the municipality has been able to
work out an arrangement with the mill that is reducing smoke in Port
Alberni even more.
"We're chipping all the stumps we used to burn and sending them to the mill," he said. "They like it and we like it."
Despite Crowder's skepticism, council passed a resolution saying it has
no objections to the permit, provided it receives the test results at
the end of the 30 months. |
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