Alberta’s environment minister said that public input was received on a plan for a cattle feedlot to be built near a popular recreational lake southwest Edmonton.
An Opposition politician stated earlier this week that the proposal for a 4,000-heard farm near Pigeon Lake was not well received by the thousands of people living in the area. He said that the potential consequences were not fully understood and that they are concerned.
Minister Jason Nixon responded to Marlin Schmidt, New Democrat environment critic, by writing that the public notice was published on the Pipestone Flyer, a small rural weekly that covers the area.
He claims that the Natural Resources Conservation Board posted the notice on their website as well.
G&S Cattle Ltd. submitted a request to the board to construct the feedlot approximately four kilometres west the lake.
Nixon states that the Agricultural Operation Practices Act outlines requirements for public notice of such applications. This includes the notice period, who is notified, and who is notified based upon the size of the feedlot.
“The county provides the addresses and names of landowners/residents in the notification radius, which is used by the NRCB to send its courtesy mails,” he wrote. Public notice involves notifying municipalities, and often includes other agencies that might have a regulatory or other interest.
He said that the application was shared by Alberta Health Services, the water licensing division in his department, and the two adjacent counties, Leduc & Wetaskiwin. Nixon reports that Wetaskiwin County has extended its response until April 21.
Nixon added that the Montana First Nation, Ermineskin Cree Nation, and Samson Cree Nation had all responded by the April 7 deadline.
This report by The Canadian Press first appeared May 5, 2022.
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