The Alberta government has laid charges against the Town of Whitecourt and Woodlands County, which operate the the Whitecourt Regional Solid Waste Management Authority, for offences under the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act. The Authority operates the Whitecourt Regional landfill, which is 17 kilometres east of Whitecourt.
According to the Government of Alberta, the Town of Whitecourt has been charged with 18 counts and Woodlands County has been charged with 12 counts under the act for contravening terms or conditions of their approval and for taking actions at the landfill that required amendments to their approval. The charges relate to events that occurred between September 12 and November 28, 2016.
The charges include:
- Knowingly contravening a term or condition of an approval, contrary to section 227(d) of the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act.
- Contravening a term or condition of an approval, contrary to section 227(e) of the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act.
- Making a change to an activity, the manner in which it is carried on, or any machinery, equipment or process that is related to the carrying on of the activity unless an approval or an amendment to an approval authorizing the change is issued, contrary to section 67(1) of the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act.
Alberta Environment and Parks spokesperson Jamie Hanldon told the CBC that: “There was not a risk to the public; these are all procedural matters.”
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The first court appearance is set for October 23 in Whitecourt Provincial Court.
For more information, visit: www.alberta.ca
