Proposed solar farm near High River rejected over impact on birds

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Citing potential damaging impacts on hen populations, the Alberta Utilities Fee has turned down an enormous 1,500-hectare photo voltaic farm proposed for a web site close to Excessive River.

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Whereas the fee famous that the Foothills photo voltaic challenge would scale back greenhouse fuel emissions and produce financial advantages, together with to its First Nations buyers, the fee concluded that the dangers posed by transmission traces to birds in a distinguished conservation space have been too vital wash.

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“The Fee discovered that approval of the challenge might lead to some constructive socio-economic advantages for Chilly Lake First Nations and a commensurate potential to facilitate reconciliation between the Crown and Chilly Lake First Nations,” the AUC mentioned in his choice launched on Thursday.

“Nonetheless, the potential for the challenge to lead to excessive hen mortality, and the impression of the challenge on the Frank Lake IBA and the social and environmental values ​​it represents, is unacceptable.”

Foothills Photo voltaic, a subsidiary of Vancouver-based Elemental Power Renewables, has proposed the ability for a web site east of Excessive River that may home 435,000 ground-mounted photovoltaic panels together with inverter/transformer stations and entry roads in a challenge that may 150 MW of electrical energy.

Building would start this summer season on a web site with a complete footprint of 1,500 acres — as much as 300 acres containing photo voltaic panels — and log on by the top of 2024.

Opponents, together with environmentalists, naturalists, Foothills County and anxious residents, argued the photo voltaic panels are positioned too near the Frank Lake wetlands space, which they are saying is a vital habitat for 256 hen species — 60 of that are endangered.

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An environmental evaluation performed by a agency employed by Foothills Photo voltaic concluded that these dangers might be diminished to a passable stage.

“The environmental evaluation concluded that the general residual results of the challenge aren’t predicted to be vital and that the potential opposed results related to the challenge will be mitigated with customary mitigation measures, trade finest administration practices and site- and species-specific mitigation,” the AUC mentioned in its choice.

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

“Given the proximity of the Foothills Photo voltaic Challenge to the Frank Lake Necessary Chicken Space, (its) significance to migratory and breeding waterfowl, the abundance and variety of birds and waterfowl in danger within the space … and present direct and oblique damaging impacts, the Fee finds that there’s a affordable danger for the challenge to trigger vital opposed environmental impacts.”

The AUC panel famous that Elemental Power is dedicated to an on-site wildlife monitoring program that might present a greater understanding of the impression of such amenities on hen populations.

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Nevertheless it concluded that “whereas the fee desires to additional perceive the danger photo voltaic initiatives pose to birds, the fast concern for the Foothills photo voltaic challenge is the potential for unacceptable ranges of hen mortality to happen.”

It additionally famous that challenge accomplice Chilly Lake First Nations just isn’t a member of Treaty 7 the place the challenge can be positioned and didn’t take part in hearings attended by important intermediaries.

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

“Frank Lake is internationally acknowledged for its significance to nesting and migratory birds,” AWA Conservation Specialist Ruiping Luo mentioned in an announcement.

“Growth on this area poses a significant danger to the hen and wildlife populations that go to the lake and surrounding areas.”

In accordance with its web site, Elemental Power already operates 4 photo voltaic farms in southern and central Alberta producing a complete of 84 megawatts {of electrical} technology.

The Foothills photo voltaic challenge is only one proposal for renewable power technology in Alberta that has come underneath hearth from critics who specific issues concerning the potential impression on wildlife and high quality of life.

Critics additionally say they’re against wind and photo voltaic farms encroaching on agricultural land.

A so-called biodigester proposed for a web site simply west of Hoogrivier that may convert livestock and waste into renewable pure fuel has run into concerted native opposition whose issues embody odors and its impact on property values.

Proposed wind farms northeast of Edmonton, together with one from Elemental Power, have drawn opposition from native residents involved about wind generators’ impression on animal and human well being.

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

BKaufmann@postmedia.com

Twitter: @BillKaufmannjrn