The opening of a new beef processing plant on the outskirts of Calgary has been delayed.
Harmony Beef, located in Rocky-view County, needs to design a water and wastewater treatment system that will satisfy the municipality.
Harmony may either truck wastewater in and out or tie into the county’s existing service infrastructure, said Grant Kaiser of Rockyview County.
“The original development permit, land use (zoning) all still apply, so once these requirements are completed things can move forward to county council for their consideration and vote,” said Kaiser in an email.
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Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi expressed concerns to the company last August about odour control and the potential impacts on nearby suburban communities that have been built since the plant opened briefly about 10 years ago.
Company president Rich Vesta did not return calls by press time.
Members of the Alberta Cattle Feeders Association strongly en-couraged Vesta to reopen the former Rancher’s Beef plant. It went bankrupt in 2007.
Bryan Walton of the association estimates about $20 million has been invested so far to renovate the plant.
“We support the opening of the plant. It is an EU approved plant and there will never be another one built like it in Alberta and there will never be another Rich Vesta,” Walton said.
The county wants these criteria met before the plant can open:
- Truck in/out wastewater arrangement (the current proposal).
- Confirm the proposed method of servicing (water supply and wastewater disposal).
- Prepare traffic impact assessment.
- Confirm that an agreement is in place for the hauling and receiving of the waste products produced by the proposed water treatment facility, identifying the waste plant.
- Update the air quality and odour management protocol prepared in 2005 to confirm that the process water recycling facility will not alter the findings or recommendations of this report.
- Provide odor complaints protocol.
- Demonstrate Alberta Building Code fire protection requirements are being met.
- Update the chemical management and operations emergency response plan.
- Tie into the municipality’s infrastructure (speculative as it is not the current proposal).
