Saskatchewan environment minister Dustin Duncan said he would consider an environmental impact assessment for a feedlot proposed near Outlook but he hasn’t yet seen a proposal.
The Saskatchewan Environmental Society has called for the assessment on the 36,000-head operation planned by Namaka Farms of Strathmore, Alta. Namaka has bought land in the area and the Rural Municipality of Rudy has approved the land-use application.
The society said the manure from an operation that size would produce the same amount of waste as Saskatoon produces in a year. It is concerned that the feedlot will be close to the M1 Canal, which is the main irrigation waterway out of Lake Diefenbaker.
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The society said the water flows upstream to Saskatoon and the feedlot could have an impact on water quality.
“It is unacceptable that a development of this size could be approved without an environmental impact assessment,” said Franny Rawlyk, the SES water co-ordinator, in a news release.
“The Saskatchewan government must take water quality more seriously.”
Under the province’s Agricultural Operations Act, any proposed intensive livestock operation must have approved plans to deal with its manure and runoff to prevent water contamination. The act focuses on water quality and protection.
Once the agriculture ministry receives a proposal it forwards it to other ministries such as environment for comments to try to mirror the environmental assessment process. There are triggers that could result in the need for a formal assessment.
Duncan said neither agriculture nor his ministry had received a specific proposal yet.
“A feedlot like this doesn’t automatically trigger the process,” he said in an interview.
“From what I hear, and the size of the feedlot, we would certainly look at the possibilities of doing an environmental impact assessment on this proposal.”
