— a ee - = — — — ee | | | i iW The Northwest’s biggest industry’s are still, for one, rea- son or another, on the Ministry of Environment list of problem polluters. In its semi-annual report, issued Jan. 24, the minis- try named Alcan and Eurocai in. Kitimat and Skeena Cellulose in Prince Rupert as being in "sig- nificant. non-compliance" under the terms of their waste manage- ment permits. The giant aluminum smelter made the list for the fourth time, cited for. being over permitted levels in the acidity of discharge and its content of dissolved fluorides and iron. The ministry notes that some technical _ changes intended to remedy the problem are in the works and new amended permit will be issued in the near future. Alcan also appeared on a list of sites of that are “of significant con- cern to the ministry". The con- cern relates to a plot of ground where the company used to dump spent potlinings. They fear the possibility of groundwater contamination with cyanide and fluoride compounds. Alcan is studying solutions. - Eurocan Pulp and Paper was also on the list for the fourth time, but the problems that caused the plant to exceed its permitted level of total reduced sulphur emissions for seven days during the reporting period has apparently been fixed. ; The Skeena Cellulose pulp mill at Port Edward made it for the fourth time. experiencing the enforcing residential ‘same problem - -Burocan ‘had: sulphur emissions, Like Zurocan, SCI worked it out and is now in compliance with the terms of its permit. Also on the "significant concern" list is the Kitimat- Stikine Regional District, the government body responsible for ; sewage disposal standards in Thornhill. The Bobsien Crescent subdivi- sion off Queensway has been" ‘plagued by appearance of raw sewage in ditches; back yards and other inconvenient. -places because the soil on which the neighbourhood. was built is not ‘porous enough to allow septic tank = effluent “through at the proper speed. A. sewage treatment system. - is to percolate probably the only solution, but ‘the regional district has been trying unsuccessfully to get the provincial government to pay for it. The Village of Hazelton experienced sewage problems, being cited for not monitoring its disposal works properly and dumping raw sewage into the Skeena River. The ministry says improvements are being made _ under its direction. _ Mines in the Northwest also appear on both lists. Golden Bear west exceeded permit levels for sul- phur dioxide emissions from its gold mill at the .Muddy Lake mine-site; the company modified, its machinery and was in com- -pliance as of August. in compliance, ‘exceeded permit levels numerous of Dease Lake Placer Dome’s molybdenum mine at Endako has been reworked to reduce concentra- tions of molybdenum and iron in its effluent. Although it is now the mine times during the reporting period and has expressed thé intent to have its permit amended to allow for higher molybdenum discharge. based on wildlife impact studies. | | TERRACE - Although the Min- istry of Education announced the overall increases in provincial block funding for schools last week, the local school board won't have definite information for drafting its 1992-93 operat- - ing budget until later this month. On Jan. 31 education minis- ter Anita Hagen said the base funding block would be increased from $5,500 to 5,661, a rise of 2.4 percent. The increase is. only 0.4 percent above the government’s estimate of the inflation rate ‘for the coming year, and the announce- ment was met with gloom by many school boards in the lower mainland. Terrace Review —— Wednesday, February 5, 1992 5 Pollution list cites industry, mines, government — The old Tulsequah Chief mine, on the Taku River south of Atlin, remains on the signifi- cant concern list for acid rock drainage. Cominco, the company that operated the mine in the -1950’s, has been served with a Pollution Abatement Order and plans to correct the situation this year. The mine is being exam- ined for re-opening by Redfern Resources under an option, and _ the two companies will attempt School district budget pullders await final funding figures In Terrace, secretary-treas- urer Barry Piersdorff said there is some good news for the local board: the government will con- tinue to give some extra money to the Terrace district and boards in other areas that historically have had higher than average per-pupil operating costs. "They had indicated the intent to remove it this year, but they deferred it for a year, perhaps because it would create too much hardship," he commented. That subsidy, however, creates some tension in budget- ing. It is calculated by the Min- istry of Education through an arcane formula that takes into account overall enrolment in to secure the drainage problent as a cooperative effort. a Anyox, the abandoned | molybdenum south north ‘of ‘Stewart, continues its 60-year tradition of draining acid efflu- ent from a tailings dump into the waters of Observatory Inlet. The owner is attempting to sell the property, and one of the sale conditions would be a clean-up of the tailings site. The next list is due to come out in July. subsidized districts, square foot- age of schools in ratio to student numbers, and several other fac- tors. Ail of that means that the Terrace district can’t begin seri>. ous work on its budget until the: ministry determines its. individ- ual funding block. Piersdorff said the ministry intends to provide School Dis- trict 88 with that information Feb. 24. In addition to the overall provincial block funding, the ministry has also committed $42.7 million in special purpose grants, Information ‘on capital spending and the school meals program will be" reléased” With the provincial budget in March. - Yamaha technology. . - proving once again that not all machines are created equal. | KEN’S Swe YAMAHA © POWER | POWER EQUIPMENT i JF YOU DRINK, waranty KEN GIBSON 635-2909 TREVOR GIBSON Engineered for life, ON'T RIDE. = a tes ai on (Hise RHIMIHai iT TAT ean AREOLA Hint pasrointol op ceding oa i aSOTLy bit cin eta em me woe reg are a ey mem er EN te ning tin aR AR