Dear Editor,
Dr. Don Lawton of the University of Calgary made a presentation to the MD of Foothills council on the carbon capture and storage project to be located near Priddis. The presentation described the technology to be used with claims of anticipated success. Dr. Lawton assured that leakage will be very small and the project will never contaminate other wells in the area. Why did I think of the assurances made of the Titanic or Chernobyl? Dr. Lawton said the material will be brought on site from Cochrane and Joffre. Why not have the CCS research project at those two locations?
The large omission in the presentation was the consideration of the community and its people living in the area. Why would residents in the area want to have an experimental study involving health and safety risks to human beings, animals and the land? How will it benefit the community? The area of Priddis and Millarville boasts agricultural wealth envied by Alberta farmers and ranchers, including some pretty good dark brown soils. The site of the project to be launched in March, involves land given by a local rancher, Sandy Cross, to the university with the stipulation it be used for research. Mr. Cross died before carbon capture and storage was developed. As an indication of his strong feeling to protect nature and the land, Mr. Cross also gave land now known as the Ann and Sandy Cross Conservation area, protecting native wildlife and grasses. This area is a centre of learning to thousands of students and one of the sanctuaries for herds of elk and other wildlife.
Sadly, those attendees at the presentation only heard about the academic and technical benefits to the university on a project made possible through land given to them by a rancher. Mr. Cross felt the importance of protecting the community and the land on which it currently thrives.
While the university is to be commended for its various research projects, this endeavour at this specific location presents unacceptable risks to the surrounding landowners and the board of governors of the university itself. If for some inexplicable reason the project moves forward, it must be exposed to insurers of the risk industry. A separate policy must be put in place to address the real risk to all of those affected landowners.
Frances Jackson Dover
President, Priddis & Millarville Residents Association
