HALIFAX -- The Nova Scotia government has given a Pictou County pulp mill just over nine months to meet emissions standards or Premier Stephen McNeil says it will be forced to close.
Environment Minister Randy Delorey issued a compliance order today for Northern Pulp in Abercrombie Point for May 30, 2015.
The legally binding order says the mill is in violation of its terms of approval by exceeding air quality stack emissions from a recovery boiler.
It requires the mill to have a new electrostatic precipitator built and installed by next year's deadline.
McNeil says if Northern Pulp doesn't comply with the order, it will have to close.
The order requires the mill to submit the results of ongoing emissions tests to the province within 30 days of completion instead of the typical period of 90 days.
The Environment Department says it is also working on a new industrial approval for the mill for January 2015 that will contain stricter limits on emissions.
10:47ET 21-08-14
