MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY - A county resolution regarding the use of water in oilfield fracking operations was approved at the recent Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) convention.
The resolution will hopefully prompt the provincial government to take action to address municipal concerns, says reeve Angela Aalbers.
“This will reassure our ratepayers that the issuance of temporary diversion licences (TDLs) to oil and gas companies will not negatively affect the water supply to their homes or agriculture operations,” Aalbers told the Albertan.
“We received support from the RMA membership, and we look forward to working with them to advocate on behalf of all Albertans regarding the important issues outlined in this resolution. “We believe this is a very important issue for our ratepayers.”
The Improved Water Licence Approval and Compliance Processes resolution calls for provincial government to “remove from the mandate of the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) to consider and decide applications and other matters under the Water Act in respect of energy resource activities to ensure that all authority for granting water licences falls to Alberta Environment and Protected Areas and that the AER continue to be responsible for industry compliance.”
It also calls on the provincial government to “require the oil and gas industry to reduce water use proportionally to all other users if drought restrictions are implemented . . . and to develop alternatives to the use of fresh water for hydraulic fracking.”
Finally, the resolution calls on the government to “require all temporary diversion licence applications, including those diversions from alluvial aquifers, follow the process outlined in legislation, policy and directives and that the information on which the approving authority has used to issue the TDL be made available to the public.”
Fracking involves the injection of water and other fluids down oil and/or gas wells to increase production.
A second resolution approved at the RMA calls on the provincial government to "direct the AER to amend directives, policies and other processes necessary to require any company regulated by the AER to pay all current and historical municipal property taxes in full as a condition of operating in Alberta.”
Commenting on that resolution, reeve Aalbers said, “The county maintains the position that everyone should pay their taxes. We stand with our rural colleagues in advocating for the province’s support in ensuring that oil and gas companies fulfill their tax obligations.
“Currently, the county is in a strong position with minimal exposure to unpaid oil and gas taxes, and we extend our gratitude to our administration for their efforts in building positive relationships with our oil and gas community, which has contributed to our favourable position.”
The RMA represents 69 rural municipalities, including Mountain View and Red Deer counties. Resolutions passed by association members are used to lobby the provincial government to take action.
