Gravel Extraction Management (November 28)
Ms Blakeman: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Ground and surface water interact, and alluvial aquifers, gravel beds, are key to this interaction. These shallow-bearing gravels bind surface and groundwater into one functioning body.
Now, mining of gravel is covered by municipal, for zoning, and secondly, by environment and SRD.
To the Minister of Environment and Water: since aquifers are so important to water cleanliness and movement, will this minister require local governments to consider environmental concerns in their initial stages of approval?
The Speaker: The hon. minister.
Mrs. McQueen: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the member for the question. Certainly, we’ll work with local municipalities as they work through some of these applications. Groundwater is certainly important for us. As we go through different groundwater studies in the province, that’s part of it as well.
Thank you.
Dr. Swann: I think she said yes.
Ms Blakeman: No. I don’t think she said anything.
Okay. To the same minister: will the minister ensure that regulation of water, ground or otherwise, is not included under the new energy superboard?
The Speaker: The hon. minister.
Mrs. McQueen: Thank you. Well, I don’t believe it’s called a super energy board, first and foremost. I think we’re looking at having a single regulator where all three – Environment, SRD, and the ERCB – together will regulate through that process. The government of Alberta will be responsible through those departments for policy setting. The regulator then will regulate and implement the policies that we put forward.
Ms Blakeman: Okay. That one she answered. It’s the first time out of everything I’ve asked her.
This question is to the Minister of SRD. Given the Auditor General has been making recommendations on reclamation, security deposits, and other issues surrounding gravel mining for years, what is the department doing to better verify quantities of aggregate mined to ensure a vigorous reclamation process and that sufficient security deposits are being collected?
Mr. Oberle: Well, I guess we’ll continue doing what we’re doing. We have no outstanding recommendations from the Auditor General’s office in our department, Mr. Speaker.
Alberta Hansard, November 28, 2011