Joint ENGO Letter on Renewable Energy Development and Land Use
November 17, 2023
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On November 15, 2023, the Pembina Institute, Alberta Wilderness Association, CPAWS Northern Alberta, CPAWS Southern Alberta, Nature Alberta and the Southern Alberta Group for the Environment (SAGE) sent a letter to Rebecca Schulz, Minister of Environment and Protected Areas, and Nathan Neudorf, Minister of Minister of Affordability and Utilities.
A PDF of the full letter is available here.
The letter proposes the following 4 points:
- Need to accelerate and grow renewable energy
- Completing overdue regional planning
- Address gaps in protection
- Need for fair and consistent treatment of all land uses (including both renewable and non-renewable energy)
This letter was submitted in response to the moratorium and inquiry into renewable energy development conducted by Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) at the order of the Government of Alberta. The AUC renewables inquiry opened in October, following the declaration of a moratorium on all renewable energy development. According to the AUC, the purpose of the inquiry was to look into “the ongoing economic, orderly and efficient development of electricity generation in Alberta.” They are doing so by soliciting comments from the public, either through their comment matrix or through letter submissions. The inquiry was split into modules A and B, with module A focused on:
- Considerations on development of power plants on specific types or classes of agricultural or environmental land.
- Considerations of the impact of power plant development on Alberta’s pristine viewscapes.
- Considerations of implementing mandatory reclamation security requirements for power plants.
- Considerations for development of power plants on lands held by the Crown in Right of Alberta.
The comments received during the inquiry could help to direct the renewables review process for future development.
AWA published our thoughts and suggestions for the moratorium and inquiry here: https://albertawilderness.ca/alberta-moratorium-on-renewables-threatens-the-energy-transition/ and https://albertawilderness.ca/opportunity-to-give-input-in-auc-inquiry/.
More information on Module A can be found on the AUC webpage here: https://www.auc.ab.ca/featured/auc-inquiry-into-the-ongoing-economic-orderly-and-efficient-development-of-electricity-generation-in-alberta/
