In a decision released April 30, 1993, the Natural Resources Conservation Board announced that it was prepared to grant approval to Consumers Paper Corporation for the construction of a waste paper recycling facility in the Town of Redcliff, Alberta, subject to authorization by the Lieutenant Governor in Council.

The project was reviewed by the NRCB under section 4 of the NRCB Act which requires it to review all projects "to construct a facility to be used to manufacture pulp, paper, newsprint or recycled fibre."

The Board reviewed the evidence before it and determined that the proposed facility would be in the public interest taking into account the social and economic effects and its effects on the environment.

The Board's decision contained several conditions:

• requiring that Consumers Paper Corporation conclude an agreement defining the terms and conditions upon which waste-water will be received by the City of Medicine Hat for treatment, in advance of the discharge of effluent for treatment, by the City;
• requiring that upon start-up of the facility, Consumers Paper Corporation test effluent at the point of discharge from its on-site waste pre-treatment system to the City's waste treatment system for heavy metals, dioxins and furans, temperature and toxicity to test organisms and that these tests be repeated as requested by Alberta Environmental Protection or the City of Medicine Hat and that data obtained from these tests be provided to Alberta Environmental Protection and the City of Medicine Hat
• requiring that Consumers Paper Corporation comply with all other permitting and licensing requirements under the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act, the Water Resources Act, the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act and all other applicable regulations and standards of the Province of Alberta.

The Board also made a number of recommendations for consideration by Consumers Paper Corporation and Alberta Environmental Protection.