09 Dec Calmar: What lies beneath?
Yesterday the Edmonton Journal ran a piece called “Five years, five homes demolished and gas keeps bubbling from the deep.” It’s a story about any...
Land Use
20 Aug Update on the MGA Review: Government releases first What We Heard document
Posted at 09:25h
in Land Use, Municipal Government Act, Public Participation, Sustainable Communities
by Brenda Heelan Powell
0 Comments
As indicated in previous posts, the Alberta government is currently reviewing the Municipal Government Act (MGA). Given the key role that municipalities play in the...
03 Jul Does a flood mitigation “dry dam” require an environmental assessment?
This question was raised at the Oldman Watershed Council Annual General Meeting. The “dry dam” proposed for the Elbow River is no small deal. It...
27 Jun Clearing the air on recreation and public land
I have been misrepresented by the Lethbridge Herald in the June 26th article “Nobody at the Wheel.” This needs to be corrected because providing the...
24 Jun Cabinet approves the Northern Gateway project
Posted at 08:50h
in Cumulative Effects, Energy, Environmental Assessment, Land Use
by Brenda Heelan Powell
0 Comments
Late last year, the National Energy Board (NEB) released its decision on the Northern Gateway Project and recommended approval of the project subject to 209...
18 Jun Empowering Municipalities for Environmental Management
Posted at 11:44h
in Land Use, Municipal Government Act, Public Participation, Sustainable Communities
by Brenda Heelan Powell
3 Comments
Recommendations to Strengthen Alberta’s Municipal Government Act In Alberta, the powers and activities of municipalities are governed by the Municipal Government Act (the MGA). The Government...
04 Jun “Turning Around the Supertanker”
Municipal panel sheds light on environmental management challenges at Green Regs & Ham [caption id="attachment_2258" align="aligncenter" width="489"] L to R: Garry Appelt, Don Iveson, Bruce Beattie...
30 Apr Quads on Lake Shores: What are the rules and the state of enforcement?
The Alberta Lake Management Society has asked a good question. It’s a timely one too, as awareness about the impacts of OHVs on watersheds peaks with...
03 Apr Wellsite ordered reclaimed: in for a penny, now about that pound
While the recently issued Environmental Protection Order that mandates the reclamation of an abandoned wellsite is a good step for the site (and the landowner) it also...
30 Jan Municipal Government Act consultations announced
Posted at 13:33h
in Land Use, Municipal Government Act, Public Participation, Sustainable Communities
by Brenda Heelan Powell
2 Comments
Municipalities have the potential to play a key role in environmental protection. Many private land uses are controlled and regulated at the municipal level. As...
31 Dec 2013: environmental law and policy, the year in brief ….may 2014 bring us greater environmental protection
Posted at 09:50h
in Cumulative Effects, Environmental Assessment, Land Use, Public Participation, Water
by Jason Unger
1 Comment
Reflecting on 2013 one is struck with some noteworthy developments in environmental law and policy. Here are some highlights (or in most cases low lights) Federal...
13 Dec Grousing about the value of species or “how much for that caribou in the window?”
Posted at 16:06h
in Cumulative Effects, Land Use, Nature and Biodiversity, Species at Risk
by Jason Unger
3 Comments
The first emergency protection order under the federal Species at Risk Act was issued last week and it applies a list of prohibitions to federal...