Nova Scotia reaches deal with First Nation community on cleanup of wastewater from broken pipe at Northern Pulp mill in Abercrombie Point, which leaked effluent into area waters, prompting shutdown of mill since June 10

Diane Keaton

ABERCROMBIE POINT, Nova Scotia , June 16, 2014 (The Canadian Press) – The Nova Scotia government says it has struck a deal on the cleanup of Boat Harbour with a First Nation community nearly a week after aboriginal protesters started blocking access to a broken wastewater pipe.

The agreement in principle gives the government until June 30, 2015, to introduce a bill with timelines for stopping effluent from the Northern Pulp mill from going into Boat Harbour near Pictou Landing.

The government says the deal also formalizes its commitment to remediate the site.

The agreement comes after discussions this weekend with the chief and band council of the Pictou Landing First Nation.

Residents set up a peaceful blockade last Tuesday after a wastewater pipe from the mill started leaking effluent into wetlands and the East River, prompting Northern Pulp to shut down operations.

The protesters said they wouldn't permit workers to repair the pipe until they received a commitment from the government and the mill on the cleanup of Boat Harbour.

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