The University of West Florida Student Environmental Action Society held its first post-Ivan meeting Oct. 27 in the University Commons Conference Center.

The meeting’s focus was the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority and International Paper Wastewater Project at Marcus Bayou.

The project's focus is the Pensacola Mill. The mill has been in operation since 1941 and was acquired by International Paper in 2000. The mill has approximately 850 employees and produces 600,000 tons of paper annually.

In order to meet state and federal regulations, the company applied for a standard operating permit for the mill in September.

According to International Paper’s Web site, the project will improve water quality and make the mill the first in the United States to eliminate the discharge of water into a creek, river or bay.

Mike Steltenkamp, the guest speaker from International Paper, talked about the many benefits of the project.

“One benefit of the project is it will eliminate direct discharge from the Pensacola Mill into the headwaters of Elevenmile Creek,” Steltenkamp said.

For an entity to obtain a standard operating permit for a specific site, the site must be deemed safe for fishing, swimming and other recreational activities.

The project began approximately two years ago and is an $87 million investment. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2005.

Although the project has its benefits, some oppose it.

Friends of Perdido Bay is a non-profit organization against the building of the wastewater project. According to the organization's Web site, www.friendsofperdidobay.com, the organization was founded in 1988 to fight the pollution from the mill.

The organization has taken measures to prevent the paper company from getting the permit it needs to begin construction.

Approximately 20 people attended the SEAS meeting. Although this was the first meeting since classes resumed, SEAS adviser, Dave Robau, said the turnout was lower than expected.

“This meeting was a little below average,” Robau said. “Our sign-in sheet usually takes up two pages, and we didn’t make it past the first page.”

February will mark the third year the organization has been on campus. Plans include a science and engineering job fair, recycling awareness programs and various campus enhancement projects.

On Nov. 17, the organization will be celebrating National America Recycles Day with a recycling fair on campus.

With the campus enhancement projects, the organization is working to plant saplings and replace trees lost because of the hurricane.

Currently, the organization is working with the Dell Corporation on a grant to implement a computer and electronic recycling bin in Pensacola.

For more information about the organization, visit its Web site at www.uwf.edu/seas.

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