March 16, 2009
The province is requesting the Clean Environment Commission (CEC) to review Louisiana Pacific’s request for permanent alterations to its Swan Valley oriented strand board plant’s Environment Act licence.
“I have directed the Clean Environment Commission to review Louisiana Pacific’s request,” Conservation Minister Stan Struthers said. “The CEC will thoroughly examine the plant’s proposal and will return with a recommendation on the request.”
Louisiana Pacific Swan River filed a request on Jan. 19 that its licence be altered to allow for the decommissioning of its regenerative thermal oxidizers (RTOs) and for the increase of certain emissions from the plant. Their proposal has been under review by Manitoba’s director of environmental assessment and licensing, and the period for public comments ended on Friday, March 13.
The CEC reviewed the Louisiana Pacific (LP) plant when it was first proposed in 1994. Included in the report was a recommendation that the company operate pollution control equipment including RTOs. LP’s application states that upgrades have reduced emission levels since the plant was first constructed.
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