MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY - County council has reviewed a number of one-page summaries calling for action from specific government ministries, including area-MLA Jason Nixon’s department of Environment and Parks.
The review came during the Nov. 10 regularly scheduled council meeting.
“Through the work of the county’s intergovernmental communications committee, the county maintains a package of summary documents that outline various topics that the county is working to lobby various provincial ministries to assist with,” said Chris Atchison, director of legislative services.
“These documents are fluid and updated frequently once responses are received from ministries or are completed.”
In preparation for the upcoming Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) conference, administration provided updated summaries for council information and consideration.
The summary for the minister of Environment and Parks deals with requests for action on provincial floodway mapping, asphalt paving and the gravel pit provincial code of practices, ag plastics and brownfields.
The provincial floodway mapping request asks the ministry to “ensure that affected residents receive sufficient support during the Upper Red Deer River Hazard Study consultations and once the mapping is released to the public to adequately understand the impact on their property and the provincial strategy to assist them.”
The asphalt paving request calls for the ministry to “allow municipalities to provide comment on the updates to the Code of Practice for Asphalt Paving Plants and for gravel pits prior to finalization” and that the “policy decisions across the department regarding these practices are consistently applied and communicated” and that the department “maintain inspection and enforce compliance with the Conservation and Reclamation Regulations and the Code of Practice for Pits.”
The ag plastics recycling request calls for the department to “coordinate to ensure that sustainability of the Agriculture Plastics Recycling Group to allow full realization of the potential of ag plastic recycling in the province with a focus on enhanced responsibility among the producers of the products.”
The brownfield request call on the ministry to “continue with its plan to involve municipalities in development of clear policies and regulatory processes that promote future investment and economic development opportunities on existing brownfield and legacy sites.”
MLA Nixon did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
