Edmonton's river valley is at risk!!

[Doc]

I received this e-mail on Sunday. This is the first I heard about this.

Attention: Citizens of Edmonton

The North Saskatchewan River Valley Conservation Society (NSRVCS) is contacting you to share our serious concern over a recent application to mine gravel in the Big Island/Woodbend Natural Area - Edmonton's largest remaining natural area. The industrial project poses a significant threat to the ecology of the river valley and the health and well-being of many Edmonton and area residents. Enclosed please find a Vision Document prepared by the NSRVCS including a map of the proposed site.

Here is the situation as it stands today. Kanata Metis Cultural Enterprises Ltd. has applied to amend the City’s Municipal Development Plan (MDP) and change zoning to allow mining in the river valley. If such changes were to be approved, the implications would be catastrophic. Mining gravel in Edmonton’s pristine river valley has not been allowed for many years, and for good reason – it is environmentally destructive and poses severe health and safety concerns. At present, there are several fully functional large-scale gravel pits operating within close proximity to the City. To date very few Edmonton citizens have been made aware of this application and yet a PUBLIC HEARING is now scheduled May 16, 2011. This means we MUST act fast! This can only be stopped by expressing your opposition as soon as possible. Should Kanata, or any other proponent, be allowed to mine the river valley within city limits, this could set a precedent opening the door for many other similar industrial projects within the river valley. This cannot be allowed! It is imperative that the City Council hear from as many individuals and organizations as possible.

Please visit our website at http://www.edmontonrivervalley.org to learn more about the NSRVCS and Kanata’s application. We request that you act swiftly to express concerns.

Please distribute this information to friends, family, and affiliates. We ask that you activate your own social networks to encourage as many people as possible to write letters/e-mails, and place phone calls to the Mayor, City Council, the City Planning Development, and the Alberta Environment Minister. I have enclosed our IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED document highlighting the complete CITY COUNCIL CONTACT LIST.

We also ask that you consider donating funds to help us inform Edmontonians about this very serious issue. For more details, please visit http://www.edmontonrivervalley.org

Our website will be updated regularly to offer highlights on the gravel pit issue. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter (twitter.com/NSRVCS), and Youtube.

Thank you for your consideration. If you have questions, please contact me directly at 780-470-3877 (h) or email at iren@marcato.ca .

Iren Bartok
Communications
NSRVCS
http://www.edmontonrivervalley.org

That was followed up by this e-mail this morning.

ATTENTION: CITIZENS OF EDMONTON

FROM: The North Saskatchewan River Valley Conservations Society ( http://www.edmontonrivervalley.org )

EDMONTON'S RIVER VALLEY IS AT RISK!!

URGENT COMMUNITY MEETING

Find out what you need to know and do:

DATE: Tuesday, May 3, 2010
TIME: 7:00 PM
PLACE: RIVERBEND COMMUNITY CENTRE, 283 Rhatigan Road East

Contrary to a municipal bylaw banning gravel mining within Edmonton’s city limits in the river valley, City Council is entertaining an application right now! If the applicant is successful, it will set a precedent opening the door to similar industrial activity to take place anywhere in Edmonton's river valley! This would lead to the destruction of the river valley and would jeopardize the health and well being of Edmonton citizens. Plan on attending this important community meeting to learn more. Council will determine the fate of Edmonton’s River Valley during a PUBLIC HEARING on May 16. Contact the Mayor and City Council immediately; say "NO" to industry in the river valley! Visit http://www.edmontonrivervalley.org for more information and for City Council contacts.

This is a concern for all Edmontonians. Please consider taking the initiative to PHONE & TEXT as well as emailing the people you know.

[freeones]

Originally Posted by Doc

the implications would be catastrophic. Mining gravel in Edmonton’s pristine river valley has not been allowed for many years, and for good reason – it is environmentally destructive and poses severe health and safety concerns.

I'm not saying I'd support such a gravel pit, in fact I probably wouldn't, but to call it "catastrophic"? It's a gravel pit. Other than the obvious visual impact and associated disturbance of the river valley, can anyone explain to me the "severe health and safety concerns"?

[Doc]

As I said, I've never heard of this before and don't really know much about it. I can't answer any of your questions but thought maybe someone does know about this and can comment on it. The part that bothers me about this is... "mine gravel in the Big Island/Woodbend Natural Area". The cities river valley areas should be left alone for all to enjoy.

[beermilk]

Silicosis, also known as Potter's rot, is a form of occupational lung disease caused by inhalation of crystalline silica dust, and is marked by inflammation and scarring in forms of nodular lesions in the upper lobes of the lungs. It is a type of pneumoconiosis.[1]

Silica
Main article: Silicon dioxide

Silicon (Si) is the second most common element in the Earth's crust (oxygen is the most common). The compound silica, also known as silicon dioxide (SiO2), is formed from silicon and oxygen atoms. Since oxygen and silicon make up about 75% of the Earth, the compound silica is quite common. It is found in many rocks, such as marble, sandstone, flint and slate, and in some metallic ores. Silica can be a main component of sand. It can also be in soil, mortar, plaster, and shingles. The cutting, breaking, crushing, drilling, grinding, or abrasive blasting of these materials may produce fine silica dust.




I worked on gravel crushers befor they produce Silica Dust from the crushing. there is a risk but i would think more so too the men working there not so much the whole area.

[Isopod]

I think this is a continuing battle by the residents of the area who don't want any development "in their backyard". I haven't followed the discussion very carefully, but it has been going on for years. I think the residents of the area are saying it will destroy the river valley, while the gravel pit operators say they have a careful plan that will cause temporary disturbance that will be reclaimed, and it will not impact the river itself. He says, she says. I guess if I were the residents of the area I would try to get other groups involved such as fishers too. The Conservation Society was established in 2008 solely to fight this one project, which kind of ticks me off because their name makes it sound like they are looking out for concerns over the entire river. I have no association with any gravel operations whatsoever, in case you were wondering...

[TyreeUM]

According to the fisheries act, if their work effects fish habitat at all they will have to submit a proposal to be approved by DFO. This includes "deleterious" substances making their way into the river due to their activity, and the word used can literally mean almost anything. With the concern over lake sturgeon in the Saskatchewan River Watershed, I can assure you that the proposal will be looked over with a close eye, especially if they area the mine is proposed has been deemed critical habitat for any reason.

[sureshot]

Even if they get the go ahead on this they have to reclamate the land when they are done.

Andy

[drhu22]

Originally Posted by sureshot

Even if they get the go ahead on this they have to reclamate the land when they are done.

Andy

This is the spelling/syntax/word usage Police!!!
Come out with your hands up!!!
(re: reclamate vs reclaim)

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/reclaim

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/reclamate

Cheers...
Me

[dragon]

Originally Posted by beermilk

Silicosis, also known as Potter's rot, is a form of occupational lung disease caused by inhalation of crystalline silica dust, and is marked by inflammation and scarring in forms of nodular lesions in the upper lobes of the lungs. It is a type of pneumoconiosis.[1]

Silica
Main article: Silicon dioxide

Silicon (Si) is the second most common element in the Earth's crust (oxygen is the most common). The compound silica, also known as silicon dioxide (SiO2), is formed from silicon and oxygen atoms. Since oxygen and silicon make up about 75% of the Earth, the compound silica is quite common. It is found in many rocks, such as marble, sandstone, flint and slate, and in some metallic ores. Silica can be a main component of sand. It can also be in soil, mortar, plaster, and shingles. The cutting, breaking, crushing, drilling, grinding, or abrasive blasting of these materials may produce fine silica dust.




I worked on gravel crushers befor they produce Silica Dust from the crushing. there is a risk but i would think more so too the men working there not so much the whole area.

This is def not the issue. Silica dust is also found in gravel roads... beachesm your kids sand boxes...

Similar to asbestos... you must inhale quantities and over a long periord of time.






The isssue here is this gravel pit is at the end of a road lined with million dollar properties. The owners feel that the constant gravel truck traffic is dangerous to their kids and a nuisance.

IMO get diggin... but then again it's not in my back yard!

[italk2u]

Originally Posted by dragon

IMO get diggin... but then again it's not in my back yard!

Atleast not yet! The issue is much more far reaching than just this one project.
Allow one company into one area and the flood gates will open and both we and city council will be powerless to stop it once precedent has been set.
Let's get our heads out of the sand here.
Allow gravel pit mining in one spot and watch the rest of the river valley disappear within a generation or two as the gravel is carried away along with the trees, bushes, flowers, grass and other flora with it. Not to mention animal habitat.
With nothing to hold it back, the remaining gravel and soil will simply wash into the river and create a Miisssippi River North. No reclamation in the world is going to be prevent that.

[beermilk]

Originally Posted by dragon

This is def not the issue. Silica dust is also found in gravel roads... beachesm your kids sand boxes...

Similar to asbestos... you must inhale quantities and over a long periord of time.






The isssue here is this gravel pit is at the end of a road lined with million dollar properties. The owners feel that the constant gravel truck traffic is dangerous to their kids and a nuisance.

IMO get diggin... but then again it's not in my back yard!

i wasnt saying that is the reason just giving an anwser to one guys question on what possible health issuses could there be. and like i said its more of an issuse to the people working on said crusher. i worked on crushers befor and it was something our company took sierously every 4 years of service you had to get breathing tests and x-rays done. silica dust is bad in large quanties.

[Okotokian]

I have no idea of the exact location, but I've always said that the river valley is one of the best things, maybe THE best thing Edmonton has going for it. They should make sure they protect it as much as possible.

If the City turns it down I wonder if we will have a court challenge, with the Metis organization saying it is part of their ancestral home, so the City has no authority to deny them?

[dragon]

Originally Posted by italk2u

Atleast not yet! The issue is much more far reaching than just this one project.
Allow one company into one area and the flood gates will open and both we and city council will be powerless to stop it once precedent has been set.
Let's get our heads out of the sand here.
Allow gravel pit mining in one spot and watch the rest of the river valley disappear within a generation or two as the gravel is carried away along with the trees, bushes, flowers, grass and other flora with it. Not to mention animal habitat.
With nothing to hold it back, the remaining gravel and soil will simply wash into the river and create a Miisssippi River North. No reclamation in the world is going to be prevent that.

Why will the flood gates open? I understand your concern about over mining but the mining permit would be for a specific quantity of gravel in a specific plot size. Enviromental impacts are part of the decision making. I expect the city to review the concerns of the community and consult an expert on both the long term and short term effects of the gravel quarry. Due dilligence by all parties is expected.


Also your just pushing the problem into someone elses back yard. There is a demand for gravel... It is only available in certain areas... Whether its here or 50 k up stream or down stream... or a different river...

Think of it this way. If the city of edmonton's gravel needs are not met locally we will have to haul gravel from a distance resulting in the burning of more fossil fuels and CO emissions. How many deer will those trucks kill? coming in from the outskirts of the city limits? Even further more... when you build a potentially NON-environmentally friendly facility in somoones back yard you know that they are going to follow the rules because the public eye is closely watching them

[Isopod]

There are many old gravel pits (and some active pits) lining the river valley already. They didn't lead to "catastophic damage" and many of them were done long ago when reclamation standards were far more lax.

[TyreeUM]

I think it is really important to take a really close look at any work that is proposed to be done that may have an impact to the fishery, and threads like this are good for raising awareness of what is going on. As long as we don't just jump to conclusions about impacts it may have, I appreciate hearing about proposed work that I may never have known about until it was already started. If you have a real concern, ask the questions and do some digging on your own - and if you think there is a potential problem after that, then start your protesting.

[buckmaster]

Originally Posted by Isopod

There are many old gravel pits (and some active pits) lining the river valley already. They didn't lead to "catastophic damage" and many of them were done long ago when reclamation standards were far more lax.

Hawrlak park was once a gravel pit.