A meeting has been called to address community air-quality concerns over a charcoal pellet plant slated for the Isle Pierre area where the land has already received rezoning approval from the Fraser-Fort George Regional District.
The meeting will take place at the Ness Lake community hall at 7 p.m. on Thursday.
While residents in Isle Pierre were notified about a public hearing, which took place nearly one year ago, other residents near the proposed plant, across the Nechako River, believe they didn't get a say, said Fraser-Fort George Regional District director Warren Wilson, who is hosting the meeting.
While an official community plan and zoning change to a 20-hectare parcel of land has already been approved, people in the Reid Lake and Ness Lake areas want more information on air pollution emissions.
Isle Pierre is about 45 kilometres west of Prince George, just north of Highway 16.
People are also concerned about rumours that the plant would burn tires and garbage, which the company says is not true.
"It's just an opportunity to explain what the plant does," said Wilson, who is the director for the Salmon River-Lakes district, which encompasses Reid Lake and Ness Lake.
Ness Lake resident Bill Theesen, who has concerns about the plant, said he believes it's important for people to come to the Thursday evening meeting.
Alterna Biocarbon Inc. president and CEO Leonard Legault said he agreed to attend the meeting and has no problem explaining the project.
While Alterna Biocarbon's website says the company is focused on the manufacturing of biocarbon from products, such as wood, municipal and agricultural waste and tires, the plan at this project is to solely use wood, said Legault.
"It seems there is some misinformation -- that's why I want to answer some of their questions," he said.
Legault said he is hoping to start construction on the plant this year, but needs to put the finishing touches on financing.
The project also needs an air emissions permit from the B.C. Ministry of Environment.
Legault said the company is only part way through the permit process, and also could not say how much air pollution the plant would emit. "We don't have a number to tell you yet. Obviously the ministry of environment is going to set some guidelines for us, and we'll have to be under those guidelines, and we will," he said.
Ministry of Environment officials in Prince George could not be reached immediately for comment on Monday.
The project would include a 6,000 square-foot manufacturing facility and a 10,000 square-foot storage facility. The plant would be located adjacent to the Canfor's Isle Pierre sawmill. It would employ four people per shift, and could be operated 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
2010 CONSULTANT REPORT
The city and regional district have been trying to identify parcels of land that would be suitable for heavy industrial development outside of the Prince George airshed for more than a decade.
That's, in part, because efforts are underway to reduce fine particulate levels in the Prince George airshed, which normally experiences several air quality advisories a year.
Isle Pierre has been identified as one of the locations outside the city suitable for heavy industry. A consultant's report prepared for the Fraser-Fort George Regional District released in 2010 indicated Isle Pierre appeared to have the lowest air quality impacts on Prince George.
The next most favourable sites were Clear Lake, 20 kilometres south of Prince George, and the Hart North area, 35 kilometres north of Prince George.
The consultants noted the 2010 study involved simplified computer dispersion modelling to determine general characteristics. The consultant recommended a more refined model when more definitive plans were established.
