Much as been made of the pulp mill changing to unbleached pulp. What is not widely known is that EVERGREEN CHANGED BACK TO MAKING BLEACHED PULP IN JAN. 2008. The complaint by the Regional Water Quality Board said, “This Complaint demonstrates a significant increase in MMP violations, which appears to be due to Evergreen’s decision to change brownstock (non-bleached) to Totally Chlorine Free (bleached) pulp production, which occurred, according to self-monitoring reports, on January 15, 2008.” These contaminants were being dumped into the ocean’s fragile ecosystem..
Even worse, Evergreen was fined $453,000 for violations in 2008. They were also fined $463,000 for violations from March 1, 2005 to December 31, 2007. These have not been paid . The first fine has been referred to the Attorney General’s Office for collection. The second is in the process of being referred. We have also learned that THE FINE FOLLOWS THE PROPERTY. Freshwater Pulp is apparently not off the hook for these violations.
http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/northcoast/board_decisions/tentative_orders/
Why do we care when the pulp mill isn’t going to reopen? Because contaminants are still in the soil and groundwater and they SPREAD. This is basic ecology. There is no such thing as a contained site and people and fish live nearby.
The mill did not have wastewater treatment facilities. Wastewater was discharged into the Pacific Ocean 8200 feet offshore at a depth of 82 feet.