Georgia-Pacific mill’s discharge permit faces review

By Terry Anderson
tanderso@greenbaypressgazette.com

A collection of environmentalists have formally asked the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to review the agency’s renewal of a wastewater discharge permit for Georgia Pacific’s Broadway mill.

“We have today (Friday) filed a petition for review, for a contested case hearing into reissuance of the permit that allows for a major increase in the discharge of phosphorus and mercury,” Andrew Hanson, a staff attorney for Midwest Environmental Advocates Inc. said at a press conference held Friday afternoon across the Fox River from the Broadway (Fort James) mill.

The petition which was also signed by local members of the Clean Water Action Council and the National Wildlife Federation, claims the DNR permits violate federal law on several technical points.

According to Hanson, the DNR has signed off on a renewed permit that would allow the mill to increase its daily phosphorus discharge to 69 pounds, up from 42 pounds. That 27-pound increase is almost 10,000 pounds annually.

Georgia Pacific is being allowed to increase the total volume of phosphorus because it is also discharging more water which keeps the phosphorus concentration within permissible ranges, Hanson said.

Officials from the DNR and Georgia Pacific could not be reached for comment Friday afternoon.

“It’s very unfortunate that the DNR feels they can barter and bargain with major industry and not represent us,” said Christine Fossen-Rades of Green Bay, who said that she loves to fish and would eat more fish from Green Bay, but for mercury contamination.

Jim Russ of Green Bay said phosphorus is a chief reason for the algae blooms on the Fox River and Green Bay. Those blooms are not only smelly and unsightly, but block sunlight and prevent the growth of natural aquatic vegetation needed for a health fishery.

“We expect to hear soon from the DNR whether or not they decide honor our request to hold a contested case hearing,” Hanson said. “If they deny our petition we’ll explore our options.”