An Alberta environmental group opposes a solar power project over concerns it would damage antelope habitat and block their migration.

Homeowners in the province are fighting a renewable natural gas proposal over fears it would hurt air quality and strengthen already powerful odours.

As Alberta slowly builds a climate change-friendly energy grid, conflicts between different environmental values are going to become more frequent, experts say.

91裸聊视频淎ll energy development has impacts,91裸聊视频� said Sara Hastings-Simon, a professor in the School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary.

91裸聊视频淎s we see more development happening, there will be more conflicts.91裸聊视频�

One example is the Aira solar project near the town of Bow Island in southern Alberta.

The project would provide 450 megawatts of carbon-free electricity to the provincial grid, but opponents fear its location would damage native grasslands and block herds of antelope as they migrate north from the U.S.

91裸聊视频淎ntelope can91裸聊视频檛 migrate through chain-link fences,91裸聊视频� said Cliff Wallis of the Alberta Wilderness Association.

The company has promised to build lanes for the animals to pass through. But Wallis said antelope are unlikely to use them.

91裸聊视频淎ll we91裸聊视频檙e doing is opening up the door to these projects and not figuring out where is the best place to put them,91裸聊视频� he said.

Further north, near the town of High River, Benita Estes has been fighting a large biodigester project that would turn manure into enough natural gas to power 6,000 homes.

Proponent Rimrock Renewables concedes the plant91裸聊视频檚 odours would sometimes exceed provincial guidelines, even with the upgraded control mechanisms it recently announced.

91裸聊视频淏iogas (projects) are great, if they91裸聊视频檙e in small areas,91裸聊视频� Estes said. 91裸聊视频淭his one is a monstrosity.91裸聊视频�

The Alberta Utilities Commission, which licenses renewable power projects, is tasked with weighing environmental concerns against each other. It recently turned down a solar project over concerns about impacts on native grassland.

Ryan Fournier, spokesman for Alberta Environment Minister Rebecca Schulz, said the commission is up to the job.

91裸聊视频淓ach project proponent sends the department a submission that identifies wildlife species and vital habitats, assesses species concern, details how they will meet wildlife directive standards and proposes ways to minimize the risks,91裸聊视频� he said in an email.

But Alberta needs to unpack more of the tools it already has to manage such conflicts, said Jason Wang of the clean energy think-tank the Pembina Institute.

He points out Alberta has been divided into seven regions for land use planning. Two of those plans have been completed and one 91裸聊视频� the South Saskatchewan plan, where most renewables development is concentrated 91裸聊视频� is about to face a 10-year review.

91裸聊视频淭he intention of these regional land use plans was to do that sort of long-term planning with communities,91裸聊视频� said Wang. 91裸聊视频淭hey can be challenging, but (the province) should finish that approach.91裸聊视频�

Part of the challenge is differentiating legitimate concerns from those with a not-in-my-backyard mindset, said Hastings-Simon.

91裸聊视频淪ome of the objections to renewable energy can be traced back to groups trying to prevent renewable energy,91裸聊视频� she said.

91裸聊视频淚f done well, renewable energy has significant less impact,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淏ut we do need to think about where that91裸聊视频檚 going to be.91裸聊视频�

Wallis, with the Alberta Wilderness Association, said environmental impacts have to be understood more broadly than just climate change.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e facing two crises,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淲e don91裸聊视频檛 want to trade off biodiversity to mitigate only climate change.

91裸聊视频淲e can do both if we91裸聊视频檙e smart about it.91裸聊视频�

Estes said projects such as the biogas one she opposes should be regulated for what they are.

91裸聊视频淭hey91裸聊视频檙e trying to sell these projects as agricultural when they91裸聊视频檙e actually industrial. It91裸聊视频檚 not being put on industrial-zoned land.91裸聊视频�

Craig Snodgrass, who91裸聊视频檚 in the middle of such quarrels as High River91裸聊视频檚 mayor, said conflicts are likely to increase as Alberta91裸聊视频檚 population grows.

91裸聊视频淓verybody91裸聊视频檚 trying to do more renewable things, but there91裸聊视频檚 a negative side to it as well,91裸聊视频� Snodgrass said.

91裸聊视频淎 better way to manage that, that our government could be doing a better job of, is putting people first 91裸聊视频� looking at the human being first rather than putting industry first.91裸聊视频�

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