A-Infos (en) Lincoln Pulp & Paper Targeted By Earth First! & NFN

[Andy Buckley <ABUCKLEY@hh.veryfine.com>]

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LINCOLN PULP & PAPER TARGETED BY EARTH FIRST! & NFN 
by Nor'eastah Earth First!

*'Dioxin is one of the most toxic chemicals known in our environment. It's
time to do away with dioxin everywhere we can -  and Maine kraft
papermills, which cause the largest dioxin impact on our rivers are the
best place to start' - Dr. Beverly Paigen, Senior Scientist at Jackson
Laboratories.* This is a quote from one of the placards at a protest at
Lincoln Pulp & Paper (LP&P) in Lincoln, Maine (USA).

On May 4,1998, Earth First!, the Native Forest Network and members of
various other environmental groups gathered at the gates of Lincoln Pulp
& Paper to protest the companies dioxin discharges. This protest was
part of the Northeast Forest Practices Campaign, of which one element is
the elimination of dioxin discharges.

LP&P discharges dioxin contaminated water into the Penobscot River,
which damages the health of fish, wildlife and the Penobscot Nation, as
well as all other life *downstream*. The Penobscot River is part of the
original hunting grounds of the Penobscot Indians. Due to the fact that
paper companies such as LP&P discharge dioxin and other pollutants
from their mill into the river, the people of Maine have been advised by
the Maine Dept of Environmental Protection to eat no more than 2 fish per
year from this river. The largest source of dioxin found in water is the
waste water discharges from the pulp & paper industries bleaching
process, according to the book Dying from Dioxin by Lois Marie Gibbs.

Dioxin causes cancer, infant mortality, contaminated breast milk,
decreased fertility in women including increased miscarriage rates and
alterations in the ovarian cycle, decreased sperm count, hormonal
changes, reproductive disorders including endometriosis, increased liver
size, thyroid damage, diabetes, neurological damage and respiratory
problems.

At approximately 4 am. protesters converged on the mill. A banner,
reading *LP&P go chlorine free! Dioxin kills!* was hung from a water
tower at the facility. The group also met workers at change of shift
offering them bagels and a chance to talk. In addition, there were rumors
that slogans such as *dioxin kills* were spray-painted inside mill
property.

At one point 20-30 demonstrators blocked the entrance to the mill by
sitting in the road in an act of non-violent civil disobedience. One worker
refused to stop for the blockade, instead revving her engine then driving
through the blockade, actually hitting one of the protesters and knocking
him over and coming so close to another that the sign she was carrying
was pulled out of her hands by the tire as she and the other
demonstrators scrambled out of the way. One demonstrator tried to stop
her as she charged into the crowd. Once inside the mill's gates the
woman complained to the police about the demonstrator who tried to
stop her. She then identified a different person and claimed he was
responsible. He was told he could leave the area but was immediately
pulled over and charged with disorderly conduct. Earth First! and Native
Forest Network have video footage of the incident, which shows the
woman driving her car into the crowd and also the officer later telling the
man she falsely accused that he could leave the area. The Lincoln police
refused to file charges against the woman but the demonstrators filed
complaints at the police station.

The protest was the second in a campaign targeting Lincoln Pulp and
Paper. Earth First! and the Native Forest Network are demanding that
LP&P convert to totally chlorine free (TCF) technology and a closed loop
system, and that they fund an independent study of the dioxin content in
the sediment in the river. They point out the severe environmental and
health effects of dioxin. LP&P has been touting their conversion to
elemental chlorine free (ECF) technology as reducing dioxin discharges.
The environmentalists say that reduction is not enough, a chemical this
dangerous must be completely eliminated from Maine's rivers.

Lincoln Pulp and Paper claims that converting to TCF technology would
be cost prohibitive. The cost of conversion has been estimated at $20
million. In fact the paper industry spends close to $10 billion per year in
the U.S. on capital investments and the International Paper mill in Jay,
Maine spend about $100 million a few years ago to reconfigure one of
their paper machines. TCF technology reduces operating costs, adds
only 1 to 3 cents cost per ream of paper, and is safer not only for the
environment but for the workers as well. TCF technology is used in other
mills around the world and in the U.S., including Louisiana Pacific's mill in
Samoa, California.

A 1997 poll of Maine voters, conducted by a bipartisan polling team found
that 75% of the voters feel that dioxin is a problem in Maine's rivers, and
3 to 1 they feel that the industry should eliminate dioxin regardless of the
expense.

LP&P has been fined for more than 40 waste water violations over the
past 7 years.


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