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Town appealing decision on return flow credits

The Town of Okotoks is taking one more shot at getting the Province to give it credit for water it puts back into the Sheep River.

The Town of Okotoks is taking one more shot at getting the Province to give it credit for water it puts back into the Sheep River.

The Town is appealing Alberta Environment’s December decision denying a request for return flow credits to the Environmental Appeals Board (EAB).

Okotoks returns 80 per cent of the water it uses back into the Sheep River and has long argued it deserves credit for its return flow.

Okotoks municipal manager Rick Quail said return flow credits are included in the South Saskatchewan River Basin Water Management Plan.

“It’s right in the plan that established the moratorium on new licences,” he said.

The Town acquired two water licences last year, one from Canera Resources, which has since been purchased by Legacy Oil and Gas, and the second from a private landowner. As part of its application to get the provincial government to sign off on the plan, the Town asked for a three-fold increase in volume in the application for the licence bought from Legacy, and a two-and-a-half times increase in the other.

The provincial government approved the purchase of two water licences, but it did not approve the Town’s request for return flow credits.

The Town is also appealing a decision by the Province to hold back 10 per cent of the water licence.

A closed door mediation meeting over the issue has been scheduled for April 12.

Quail said it’s a standard procedure for environmental appeals.

Depending on the outcome of the resolution meeting a public hearing could be held on the matter at a later date.

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