Proposed photo voltaic farm close to Excessive River rejected over affect on birds
Building was to start this summer season on a website with a complete footprint of 1,500 acres — as much as 300 acres containing photo voltaic panels
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Citing potential detrimental results on chook populations, the Alberta Utilities Fee has turned down a large 1,500-acre photo voltaic farm proposed for a website close to Excessive River.
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Whereas noting that the Foothills Photo voltaic Venture would scale back greenhouse fuel emissions and convey financial advantages, together with to its First Nations buyers, the fee concluded the dangers posed by transmission strains to birds in a distinguished conservation space have been too important.
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“The fee discovered that approval of the challenge might lead to some constructive socioeconomic advantages for Chilly Lake First Nations and a commensurate potential to facilitate reconciliation between the Crown and Chilly Lake First Nations,” said the AUC in its resolution launched on Thursday.
“Nonetheless, the potential for the challenge to lead to excessive chook mortalities, and the impacts of the challenge on the Frank Lake IBA and the social and environmental values that it represents are unacceptable.”
Foothills Photo voltaic, a subsidiary of Vancouver-based Elemental Vitality Renewables, had proposed the power for a website east of Excessive River that may host 435,000 ground-mounted photovoltaic panels together with inverter/transformer stations and entry roads, in a challenge that may produce 150 MW {of electrical} energy.
Building was to start this summer season on a website with a complete footprint of 1,500 acres — as much as 300 acres containing photo voltaic panels — and log on on the finish of 2024.
Opponents — together with environmentalists, naturalists, Foothills County and anxious residents — argued the photo voltaic panels have been positioned too near the Frank Lake wetland space, which they are saying is a vital habitat for 256 chook species — 60 of them in danger.
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An environmental evaluation accomplished by a agency employed by Foothills Photo voltaic concluded these dangers could possibly be diminished to a passable degree.
“The environmental analysis concluded that the general residual results of the challenge aren’t predicted to be important, and that the potential opposed results related to the challenge might be mitigated with normal mitigation measures, trade finest administration practices and site- and species-specific mitigation,” said the AUC in its resolution.
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However, finally, the regulator agreed with critics, saying the photo voltaic farm was a menace to wildlife.
“Given the proximity of the Foothills Photo voltaic Venture to the Frank Lake Vital Fowl Space, (its) significance to migratory birds and breeding water birds, the abundance and variety of birds and water birds in danger within the space . . . and present direct and oblique detrimental impacts, the fee finds that there’s a affordable danger for the challenge to trigger important opposed environmental impacts.”
The AUC panel famous Elemental Vitality was dedicated to a wildlife monitoring program on the website, which might present a greater understanding of the impact of such services on chook populations.
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However it concluded that “whereas the fee does want to additional perceive the danger that photo voltaic initiatives pose to birds, the quick concern for the Foothills Photo voltaic Venture is the potential for unacceptable ranges of chook mortality to happen.”
It additionally famous challenge associate Chilly Lake First Nations isn’t a member of Treaty 7 the place the challenge can be positioned, and hadn’t participated in hearings attended by crucial interveners.
Whereas it welcomes renewable vitality initiatives, the Alberta Wilderness Affiliation applauded the AUC’s resolution, saying such developments should be correctly positioned.
“Frank Lake is internationally acknowledged for its significance to nesting and migrating birds,” Ruiping Luo, AWA Conservation Specialist, mentioned in an announcement.
“Improvement on this area poses an enormous danger to the chook and wildlife populations that frequent the lake and surrounding space.”
Based on its web site, Elemental Vitality already operates 4 photo voltaic farms in southern and central Alberta with technology totalling 84 megawatts {of electrical} technology.
An organization spokesman mentioned Elemental hasn’t given up on the Foothills Photo voltaic Venture.
“Whereas we’re upset within the resolution, we’re persevering with to work with our challenge companions Chilly Lake First Nations and different stakeholders to assessment the AUC resolution and determine alternatives to maneuver the Foothills Photo voltaic Venture ahead,” Daniel Eaton mentioned in an electronic mail.
“Elemental Vitality is within the enterprise of constructing renewable vitality initiatives that profit our surroundings, our communities, our companions, and our future generations.”
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Its Foothills Photo voltaic Venture is only one renewable energy-generating proposal in Alberta that has come beneath fireplace from critics voicing concern over potential results on wildlife and high quality of life.
Critics additionally say they’re against wind and photo voltaic farms’ intrusion on agricultural land.
A so-called biodigester proposed for a website simply west of Excessive River that may flip livestock and produce waste into renewable pure fuel has run up in opposition to concerted native opposition, whose considerations embody odours and its impact on property values.
Proposed wind farms northeast of Edmonton, together with one from Elemental Vitality, have drawn resistance from native residents who’re apprehensive over wind generators’ results on animal and human well being.
The corporate says its proposed 75 MW wind challenge deliberate for close to Elk Level, 220 kilometres northeast of Edmonton, will “usher in important native funding, jobs and new clear electrical energy to this space of Alberta.”
Twitter: @BillKaufmannjrn
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