FREDERICTON – The provincial government will issue a new Class 1 air quality approval for the J.D. Irving Ltd. sawmill in Chipman. The mill produces about 360 million board feet of dimensional lumber per year. The company’s current approval expires on March 31, with the new five-year approval taking effect on April 1. The approval follows a public consultation process that included a public review, which ran from Sept. 14, 2023, to Jan. 17, 2024. The information, along with approval conditions, can be viewed on the Department of Environment and Local Government website or at any regional office of the department. Class 1 major industries are required to comply with the Air Quality Regulation under the Clean Air Act, and to operate under the terms and conditions established in the approval to operate.