SAVE the Environment, STOP the Rimrock Renewable LP, Tidewater Renewables Ltd. and Korova Feeders Ltd. proposed Industrial biodigester project. Please click on blue links for additional info throughout the petition.

Rimrock Renewable LP in partnership with Tidewater Renewables Ltd. and Korova Feeders Ltd. have submitted an application to AEPA (Alberta Environment and Protected Areas) to build a biodigester facility in Foothills County, Alberta.  In doing so, we believe they will cause immeasurable environmental devastation to the lands, river, the existing wildlife habitat in the area, and could further pollute our air from the foul odours these facilities are proven to emit.

We are CONCERNED residents living within 200 metres - 6 km from this proposed biodigester and fear this facility will have a massive negative carbon footprint that will impact our surrounding environment. 6-Reasons Biodigesters are NOT as Environmentally Friendly as you Think

This petition was started to show our strong opposition to this biodigester project located in the FOOTHILLS COUNTY which will be in close proximity to county landowners, the town of High River…population 14,500 and is only 76 km from the Foothills and pristine Rocky Mountains. Rocky Mountain and Foothills Forests

This is the LARGEST proposed industrial facility of its kind to be built in North America and operated by these companies who have no previous experience operating a biodigester facility of this MAGNITUDE. The proposed facility will be constructed in an agricultural zoned area adjacent to their existing feedlot, Rimrock Feeders. This feedlot has a maximum capacity of 35,000 cattle. Manure is the main source for this biodigester to produce bio-methane gas that can escape to the atmosphere during digestion and subsequent storage and handling, as well as discharge nitrates into groundwater.

These companies have received an Industrial government grant(s) to support a biased “Green Energy Initiative”.  Their goal is to produce methane gas for residents in the province of BC with an already secured 20 year contract with FortisBC even though the facility has NOT been approved. Carbon credits for the Renewable Natural Gas will be sold to FortisBC while the physical RNG will go into a local ATCO distribution system to be mixed with natural gas. TIDEWATER Renewables LTD. enters into 20-Year Renewables Natural Gas Off take Agreement with FORTISBC

Our question remains…why is this facility located in our backyards to benefit FortisBc?

We are asking AEPA Alberta Environment and Protected Areas - Contact: Minister of the Environment Rebecca Schulz, or call 780 427-2391 and EAP Environment and Protected Areas - Industrial Approvals Engineer: Ping Zhao, or Call 403-381-5512 and ask them to please DENY this application and force this large corporation to re-locate their proposed biodigester facility to an Industrial zoned property away from adjacent landowners and the rural community of High River.

Opposed residents, we URGE you to sign this petition and continue to contact these regulatory governing agencies to report your concerns and opposition to this proposed facility before it's too late!

You may also voice your concerns to Foothills County - Reeve Delilah Miller or Call 403-652-2341 or 403-931-1905

Notice of this Project was ONLY circulated to 27 adjacent county residents within a 2km radius of the Project site. This was the minimum requirement by the AEPA, but clearly the nature and size of this proposed project suggests that the area which may be affected should have been a larger radius including farms, ranches, and residential homes. In addition, the Town of High River has approved and annexed lands within 5 km of this project called SPITZEE CROSSING that will house approx. 5800 residents as part of the Town of High River long term annexation plan. However, this did NOT appear on Rimrock Renewable's application for approval submitted to AEPA, Rimrock's website or in their presentation provided at the Foothills County Public information Session. Nor does it appear on Foothills County Aerial Map posted on their website. 

Spitzee Crossing Area Plan - Outlined in Red Below

See below photo circled in RED where the subdivision does not appear on Rimrock Renewables Biodigester Aerial Map

The manure capacity for Rimrock's biodigester is 80,000 tonnes a year coming from the adjacent feedlot, with the capacity of an additional off-site 20,000 tonnes. The facility will also receive 80,000 tonnes a year of off-farm bio-waste which will be TRUCKED IN from Calgary and surrounding areas. This will require increased traffic coming and going, up to 15-20 semi truck loads per day, in and out, 365 days per year. This will also have a negative effect on the environment due to the increased carbon footprint of additional trucking of material (greenhouse gas emissions). As well as excessive light pollution and artificial light at night or poor use of artificial outdoor light. Which disrupts the natural patterns of wildlife, contributes to the increase in carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, disrupts human sleep, and obscures the stars in the night sky.   It will also require 333,000 cubic meters of water per year siphoned from the Highwood River, when we already know that this area experiences shortages throughout the summers.

Our area has predominant Westerly Chinook Winds in this region of Alberta which consequently result in putrid odours from the existing feedlot already affecting High River & Foothills County residents. Rimrock and Tidewater will NOT guarantee the biodigester will actually reduce the current feedlot odours by their projected 42%. In addition, they have not stated what type of air monitoring system will be put in place to monitor additional foul odours. Sadly, during a Foothills County Public Information meeting held on behalf of Rimrock, the Reeve stated: “She was HOPEFUL that it will mitigate a lot of the smells for the area and the town of High River as well." Unfortunately, hope is not what we can count on.

There have been numerous odour complaints reported against Rimrock Feeders with the NRCB for Confined-Feeding-Operations (Natural Resources Conservation Board) for the existing feedlot operation. To make a complaint call 1-866-383-6722 or email Inspector Denny Puszkar or email compliance manager Kevin Seward or call 403-382-4439.  Please ask them to explain if the biodigester will only eliminate the existing foul odours by 42%, then what about trying to reduce or eliminate the other 58%?  You could also ask about the additional odours that will come from the large 20.7 acres x 9-11ft depth digestate ponds (size of approx 15 football fields) and the stockpiled solid digestates and gas emissions from the 39 ft tall x 9 ft diameter flare stack because we are highly suspicious that it will most likely generate additional odours based on our research.  Then one also has to consider the additional 20,000 tonnes of increased manure that will be trucked in from off-site.

When questioned about odour reduction during a meeting with High River Town Council the Rimrock representative stated: “There's some research out there on odour mitigation, but we don't want to promise anything."  Rimrock has not included or specified any type of pond cover or aeration system. They also have never stated a fence will be built to protect the wildlife and birds in the area. 

Our final message, AEPA, please protect our agricultural lands, our environment and consider all Foothills County and Town of High River residents RIGHTS in this application approval.

To the owners of Rimrock Renewable, Tidewater Renewables and Korova Feeders, you do NOT reside in the Foothills County or the Town of High River, therefore, please respect our RIGHTS as affected landowners and residents, and STOP hiding behind green initiatives in order to achieve your corporate financial gain at our expense. 

Your proposed biodigester facility is INDUSTRIAL and does not belong on agricultural lands.  We DON’T want your biodigester built in OUR backyards!

BOTTOM LINE...WE NEED your support...Please sign this PETITION!

For More Information:

• Facebook Group High River, are you Sick of the Smell??
• Website: www.stopthatsmell.ca
• www.gofundme.com - Legal Fees to Appeal Rimrock Biodigester Project

Please help us by emailing these Regulators, Provincial, Local Politicians and Media to tell them you are opposed to the proposed biodigester application.

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