Proposed photo voltaic farm close to Excessive River deemed too harmful for birds

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Citing attainable unfavourable results on chook populations, the Alberta Utilities Fee has turned down an enormous 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 Challenge would scale back greenhouse gasoline emissions and convey financial advantages, together with to its First Nations traders, the fee concluded the dangers posed by transmission traces to birds in a outstanding conservation space had been too vital.

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“The fee discovered that approval of the undertaking may 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 choice launched on Thursday.

“Nevertheless, the potential for the undertaking to lead to excessive chook mortalities, and the impacts of the undertaking 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 will host 435,000 ground-mounted photovoltaic panels together with inverter/transformer stations and entry roads, in a undertaking that will produce 150 MW {of electrical} energy.

Development was to start this summer time on a website with a complete footprint of 1,500 acres — as much as 300 acres containing photo voltaic panels — and go surfing on the finish of 2024.

Opponents — together with environmentalists, naturalists, Foothills County and anxious residents — argued the photo voltaic panels had been positioned too near the Frank Lake wetland space, which they are saying is a crucial habitat for 256 chook species — 60 of them in danger.

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An environmental evaluation executed by a agency employed by Foothills Photo voltaic concluded these dangers may very well be diminished to a passable degree.

“The environmental analysis concluded that the general residual results of the undertaking will not be predicted to be vital, and that the potential antagonistic results related to the undertaking will be mitigated with customary mitigation measures, trade finest administration practices and site- and species-specific mitigation,” said the AUC in its choice.

However, in the end, the regulator agreed with critics, saying the photo voltaic farm was a menace to wildlife.

“Given the proximity of the Foothills Photo voltaic Challenge to the Frank Lake Vital Chook 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 current direct and oblique unfavourable impacts, the fee finds that there’s a cheap threat for the undertaking to trigger vital antagonistic environmental impacts.”

The AUC panel famous Elemental Vitality was dedicated to a wildlife monitoring program on the website, which may present a greater understanding of the impact of such amenities on chook populations.

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But it surely concluded that “whereas the fee does want to additional perceive the chance that photo voltaic initiatives pose to birds, the instant concern for the Foothills Photo voltaic Challenge is the potential for unacceptable ranges of chook mortality to happen.”

It additionally famous undertaking associate Chilly Lake First Nations isn’t a member of Treaty 7 the place the undertaking can be positioned, and hadn’t participated in hearings attended by essential interveners.

Whereas it welcomes renewable power initiatives, the Alberta Wilderness Affiliation applauded the AUC’s choice, saying such developments have to be correctly positioned.

“Frank Lake is internationally acknowledged for its significance to nesting and migrating birds,” Ruiping Luo, AWA Conservation Specialist, stated in a press release.

“Improvement on this area poses an enormous threat to the chook and wildlife populations that frequent the lake and surrounding space.”

In line with 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 stated Elemental hasn’t given up on the Foothills Photo voltaic Challenge.

“Whereas we’re upset within the choice, we’re persevering with to work with our undertaking companions Chilly Lake First Nations and different stakeholders to assessment the AUC choice and establish alternatives to maneuver the Foothills Photo voltaic Challenge ahead,” Daniel Eaton stated in an electronic mail.

“Elemental Vitality is within the enterprise of constructing renewable power initiatives that profit our surroundings, our communities, our companions, and our future generations.”

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Its Foothills Photo voltaic Challenge is only one renewable energy-generating proposal in Alberta that has come below hearth 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 will flip livestock and produce waste into renewable pure gasoline has run up towards 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 frightened over wind generators’ results on animal and human well being.

The corporate says its proposed 75 MW wind undertaking deliberate for close to Elk Level, 220 kilometres northeast of Edmonton, will “usher in vital native funding, jobs and new clear electrical energy to this space of Alberta.”

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Twitter: @BillKaufmannjrn