Canada-Wide Standards (CWS) for Mercury Implementation Plan for New Brunswick

General accountability:
New Brunswick’s overall approach to the implementation of Canada-Wide Standards for new base metal smelting facilities will be to incorporate the Canada-Wide Standards for Mercury into the conditions of individual facilities’ Approvals to Operate issued under the Air Quality Regulation - Clean Air Act. The approvals will require the application of best available pollution control technologies to minimize mercury emissions.

Public Role:
Under the Clean Air Act, a public participation process must be conducted for the issuance of Approvals to Operate for all major facilities (termed “Class 1” facilities). Under these processes, public feedback is solicited through the provision of information on the Department’s Web site and also in hard copy. Meetings with stakeholders may also be arranged as needed to provide a forum for discussion and obtain feedback on the facility’s proposed conditions of approval.

Access to Information:
All Approvals to Operate issued under the Air Quality Regulation – Clean Air Act must be maintained in a Public Register, which is available in all regional offices of the Department. In addition, information relating to Class 1 facilities is made available on the Department’s Web site. Facility-specific performance information may be made available to the general public upon request. In some cases, larger facilities may be required through the conditions of their approvals to establish local “advisory” committees with specified stakeholders including concerned citizens, where relevant facility information may be obtained.

Verifiable Progress:
New base metal smelting facilities require an Approval to Operate under the Air Quality Regulation, which will specify stack testing for mercury on an annual basis to demonstrate compliance with the Canada-Wide Standards, as well as the submission of annual reports to the Department of the Environment and Local Government.

Co-Benefits:
Approvals issued to any new base metal smelting facilities will also specify limits for a number of contaminants, including mercury, particulate matter, and other heavy metals where applicable. In cases where the addition of control equipment is required to meet the Canada-Wide Standards, such equipment is also likely to enable the reduction of a host of other potential contaminants.