Greens make gas plant election issue

By John Barlow
Editor

Reclamation of the Turner Valley Gas Plant has suddenly become an election issue at the urging of the local Green Party candidates.
On Sunday the Green Party held a rally at the gas plant urging the provincial and federal governments to expedite the reclamation of the National Historical Site.
“No matter who is elected we want to raise the profile of this issue,” said Shelley Willson, Green Party candidate for the Foothills-Rockyview constituency.
“The community has been promised the funding. Some of the reclamation has been done, but the process seems to have ground to a halt. We want to lobby the government to complete the project.”
The federal government has pledged funds to make the site into a tourist center.
Several other MLA hopefuls attended Sunday’s rally including three Highwood candidates Liberal Lori Czerwinski, Green Sheelagh Matthews and Conservative George Groeneveld.
Although the Turner Valley Gas Plant is not in his constituency (it is in Foothills-Rockyview) Groeneveld admitted the tour and presentation was an enlightening experience.
“All you ever hear about the gas plant is the negatives. I was coming here wondering if the plant should not just be abandoned and bulldozed — was it even worth saving,” said Groeneveld. “But I have had my eyes opened.”
Groeneveld said the reclamation process is not at a standstill, but said it is moving slowly and if the project could move forward it would be “wonderful for the community and a boon for the economy in Turner Valley and Black Diamond.”
It is not often various parties can agree on one issue, but Czerwinski agreed that the plant is worth saving and deserves to be a priority for the new Foothills-Rockyview riding.
“It is an important issue for all of our communities,” said the Liberal candidate. “The government has been dragging its feet and the most important issue if the clean-up to keep our Sheep River safe.”
Czerwinski questioned why the reclamation of the gas plant was not a high priority of the current MLA (Don Tannas).
“This needs to be taken to the Legislature and advocate for funding,” she added. “This is such a huge part of Alberta’s history.”
The Turner Valley Gas Plant opened in 1914 and was Canada’s first true gas processing plant. It was decommissioned in 1985 and was acquired by the provincial government in 1988.
The site remains a world-renowned facility and was a popular tourist site when the World Petroleum Congress was held in Calgary and delegated from around the world travelled to Turner Valley to tour the site.
However, a dark cloud has hung over the site when it was discovered contaminants were seeping into the Sheep River forcing Alberta Environment to temporarily re-route the river last summer to construct barriers along the bank to prevent further erosion.
Also, in 2003 the Calgary Health Region recommended tours of the facility cease due to health concerns associated with contaminants such as mercury. Contaminants discovered on site include mercury, hydrocarbons, asbestos and sulphur. Asbestos and hydrocarbon remediation has been completed at a cost of $2.4 million. The mercury is scheduled to be cleaned up later this year. The remaining reclamation is expected to be complete in 2005 at a cost estimated to be as high as $5 million.
George Read, leader of the Alberta Green Party, said he was not surprised all of the candidates who attended the rally supported the initiative.
“Environment issues tend to cut across party lines,” he commented.
Read added that it is important to celebrate a good news story about the oil and gas industry.
“This project could have a dramatic impact on the local economy,” he said. “We can sow ear and turn it into a silk purse. We want to talk about what is good in the oil business.”
Willson concluded by saying if the Green Party was elected she would ensure the funds were made available to clean-up the gas plant site and convert the facility into a tourist destination.