Potentially disrupting an osprey nesting area is one of the issues Exshaw residents have brought forward over proposed construction in the Municipal District of Bighorn hamlet.
Dual Statement of Concerns (SOC) have been filed by the MD of Bighorn and Exshaw Community Association in regard to the Lafarge cement plant’s applications for ongoing construction for its multi-hundred million dollar expansion.
One of the MD’s SOC, issued to the Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development (ESRD), states associated work energy company AltaLink has been hired to do could be disruptive to osprey, nests and habitat areas west of Exshaw. The work would include the erection of three kilometres of transmission lines that pass by a man-made nest.
“My concern is, without understanding all the of the line rearranges we could be limiting our choices for the best solution or best environmental solution, although, I think this might be the best industrial solution,” said Bighorn Reeve Dene Cooper at the February regular meeting.
Osprey are classified as Sensitive in the General Status of Alberta Wild Species. Over the past dozen years, the man-made nest near Exshaw has been established near a small body of water. The site includes a webcam at the nest so viewers can follow the mating pair’s process.
The request for 3 km of transmission line construction would enable Lafarge to discount existing power lines to expand upon existing quarry practices.
Ron Braun, VP Projects at Lafarge, said if proposed construction has any effect on wildlife, then that’s an area “we’re more willing to address.”
AltaLink sent a team of environmental representatives to investigate any sort out effects construction may cause on any type of wildlife or vegetation in the area. No updates were available at this time.
The applications brought forward by Lafarge and AltaLink seek approval for a six-month construction extension and construction and operation of a new sub-station within Lafarge property, altering an existing substation and constructing an internal transmission line.
Braun said a study on the internal power line, which will feed the new substation for a new kiln being built, resulted in no wildlife issues identified at that time.
The MD’s two SOC was followed by an additional SOC from the Exshaw Community Association (ECA) about the six-month extension application.
Lafarge is requesting an amendment to change the current May 31, 2015 deadline to Nov. 30, 2015 for construction on the plant’s new kiln and its associated equipment to be completed by. It included the continued operating approval of existing Kiln #4 to the same date.
Unexpected occurrences this winter such as abnormal weather conditions, particularly unsafe crane operating conditions due to high winds, a lack of manpower and supply issues with the equipment, have affected Lafarge’s ability to finish work on time.
Deb Grady, ECA member and Bighorn community service coordinator, said the ECA’s issues regards health and safety, quarry blasting and associated fugitive dust from the additional construction.
“People who work at Lafarge are protected by worker’s compensation from the debris and the dust. We’re not and it is horrendously dusty,” Grady said.
“When they (Lafarge) expand the quarry, we don’t have a problem with them doing that, but we have a problem with them not going to industry best practices where they have wet mats down to keep the dust down. We have big problems with that.
“They may be watering up there, but we get dusted out all the time and we’re really concerned about the long-term affects of that because this isn’t benign dust we’re getting. This is silica dust (and) limestone dust.”
Mitigations to reduce dust in the community have been applied by Lafarge, such as newly purchased water trucks and street sweepers and the implementation of a Fugitive Dust Control Best Management Practice Program (FDC – CMPP).
Braun said Lafarge’s intention is to finish this expansion as quickly and safely as possible.
“This is a significant project in the area and because of that it does have an impact on our community. We are very motivated to address and mitigate whatever we can regarding impact,” Braun said.
