The working document does not state clear objectives. Councilors are elected and paid to plan for ways in which new development might fit into and benefit local communities. Residents do not want to see existing values destroyed by greed, whether the development in question might be a gravel pit, clear cut logging, confined feeding operation, nuclear power plant, or any other project. If a goal is to bring employment into the Fort Assiniboine area, can you please explain why it would not be more beneficial to the community if the local gravel operators had the opportunity to sell their gravel first, and reclaim some of the existing pits, rather than opening new pits for developers who will never live here?
The working document attempts to substitute operating restrictions for land use planning. This will only punish existing local gravel operators, and will not address the real issues of cumulative negative impacts of large new pits added to existing ones. Can you please explain when or how this council will plan to control the numbers and impacts of new aggregate developments, and how many pits is the county prepared to monitor?
The working document does not provide for protection of agricultural land. Numerous Alberta municipalities are actively supporting agriculture by various means, including protection of agricultural lands. Why are Woodlands councilors ignoring the Municipal Government Act and their own Municipal Development Plan, both requiring protection of agricultural lands? Can you please explain the county's criteria for rezoning farm land to natural resource extraction?
The working document includes repeated references to gravel pit reclamation, including repeated requirements for plans, security de...
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...? Or better yet, can you please explain why the county cannot plan future gravel extraction for areas less likely to impact existing residents, businesses, or recreation areas?
The working document available to the public does not differentiate proposed changes from existing bylaws, and does not include relevant sections of acts or bylaws for reference, so does not give the public sufficient information to respond to. Also, many residents will not waste their time in these meetings, because they do not believe councilors base decisions on bylaws or public input anyway? Are councilors aware that many residents will not express concerns in public or in writing, for fear of repercussions from county staff? Do councilors believe this meeting to be fair public consultation in these circumstances, and if not, what plans will be made for more effective consultation?
The positive aspects of ‘Lake’ Powell are few yet noteworthy. Glen Canyon Dam’s hydroelectric power-plant generates one thousand three hundred mega watts of electricity at full operation. That is enough power to supply three hundred fifty thousand homes. Glen Canyon Dam holds twenty seven million acre feet of water, which is equivalent to twice the Colorado River’s annual flow (Living Rivers: What about the hydroelectric loss?). One of the most valuable reasons for the dam to remain active is that “Lake Powell generates four hundred fifty five million dollars per year in tourist revenue, without this cash inflow, gas-and-motel towns . . . would undoubtedly wilt, and surrounding counties and states would lose a substantial tax base” (Farmer 185). These positive aspects are of no surprise considering they are the reason dams are built in the first place.
As part of his campaign for Governor, Dwight Green had promised to enforce mining laws. In 1941 Governor Green appointed Robert Medill as Director of the Department of Mines and Minerals. The Mining Board makes the p...
Throughout this mining process a byproduct is created called chat. The chat is leftover rock and waste from mining that did not contained the desired materials. The chat was left on the site because the Bureau of Indian Affairs thought it could be of value to the Quapaw tribe (1). This chat contained high levels of toxic lead and other harmful chemicals. It is estimated that there are 75 Million tons (150 billion pounds) of chat piles remaining exposed to the environment as well as numerous flotation ponds that haven’t been taken into account (4).
Of central interest to the “Taylor machine” is the Willet Dam Project, a bill which masquerades as a means by which to promote local agricultural interests but in reality only seeks to generate ill...
On January 30th of the year 2018 the Shasta County Board of Supervisors conducted a meeting to cover a broad range of topics concerning the county and its citizens. The meeting began with the discussion of agritourism in the county. Richard Simons, the Resource Management Director, gave a presentation that highlighted his goals and suggestions to improve viability and the functionality of agritourism in the county. The board members were very engaged with his presentation and asked many thoughtful and provoking questions. They were especially concerned with how the citizens and land owners involved in agritourism would be affected by these new propositions. After the supervisors were satisfied and their questions were answered they unanimously supported the decision and the next topic was addressed.
1) If they feel there are more suitable methods for land management.
To the northeast part of Arizona lay a conflict between two indigenous groups from the surrounding area and the world’s largest coal company formerly known as Peabody Coal (now Peabody Energy). The Hopi and Navajo reservations surround a region known as Black Mesa. Black Mesa is located on both the Navajo and Hopi Reservations which is a target source for underground water called the N-aquifer. The N-aquifer contains a great amount of pristine Ice Age water. As time drew on, many indigenous people were alarmed that the water was carelessly being depleted from their land. Mining on Black Mesa should be stopped because the inhabitants are affected by Peabody, livestock in the area must depend on the local springs, groundwater is being depleted at an average of 3.3 million gallons per day, and the water is being contaminated (SBMW Online par 1).
Personal Essay: I Propose To Change the Status of Craighead County, AR From A Dry
The issue that confronts many Kentuckians is whether or not the Williams and Boardwalk Pipeline, commonly called the Bluegrass Pipeline, serves for public use. Many people say that the pipeline will benefit the economy and provide jobs, while others complain that the pipeline will cause more harm than good. I am here to argue with the latter, the pipeline will cause much more harm than good. The pipeline is less for public use and more for national and international.
This paper explores the fight between draining Lake Powell and keeping it as is. It discusses the gains and the losses due to environmental, economical, and political issues. The bibliography uses sources from public interest publications, environmental organizations newsletters, and government publications to give many sides of the argument and many issues dealing with the subject matter.
...evision. I feel there are several simple things could be done that would make the meeting more accessible to not only first time attendees but also citizens in general. First of all by giving a very brief introduction to who the Council members are and why they are on the Council, as well as the who the people on the side bars are and what their purpose for being there. Just a brief background, five minutes at the tops, would give a background enough for newcomers to have a basic understanding of what is going on. Another thing that could be done to make it more accessible would be to explain the purpose of the meeting or to give out an agenda at the beginning. By attending this public meeting, I was able to see that the grandeur that is portrayed on television is very fake, but the importance is vastly downplayed.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (2005) defines mountaintop removal as “a mining practice where the tops of mountains are removed, exposing the seams of coal.” Coal companies throughout Appalachia adopted this process as a means of acquiring coal faster. People in support of mountaintop removal concentrate, not only on the cheap, plentiful energy which is produced, but also the supposed increase in safer occupation opportunities for miners. Such individuals also argue that flattened land provides space for airports, prisons, and shopping centers. However, mountaintop removal has serious consequences, which need to be revealed.
The Department of Energy (DOE) reports that there is 20,000 tons of used-up nuclear fuel and that number should double by the year 2000 (kieft, 1997). The fuel rods are now placed in cooling ponds near the plants. Most pools are full, or nearly full. Aware that time is running out, Yucca Mountain was the only site left. The mountain sits inside the Nevada Test Site about 80 miles of Las Vegas. A huge earth boring machine is digging a tunnel 25 feet wide into the mountain. Two miles of tunnel have already been excavated and three more miles remain till completion. The mountain is planned to receive waste by the year 2010 (www.cyberwest.com).
As a result of this process, the mine sites "do not develop normal soil structure or support the establishment of a plant cover". Many mine sites have...
What can land use planners and decision-makers in the United States learn from planning practices in the Netherlands? The Netherlands has accepted comprehensive land use planning as a standard practice and integrates all levels of municipalities and communities in decision-making. However, in many municipalities in the United States, there are still difficulties in obtaining community action, control, and understanding of the existing plans and proposed policies.