MD of Bonnyville Council decided against writing a letter of objection to the CNRL's proposed oil project near Minnie Lake.
The Minnie Lake Conservation Society asked council to consider writing a letter of objection to strengthen its case before it goes before the ERCB hearing in February.
“If people object, we support their objection, but we don't make it our own,” said Reeve Ed Rondeau.
He said some landowners see the project as a benefit rather than a detriment.
“We wouldn't be honest if we didn't say we're a bit disappointed, but on the other hand we also appreciate the ongoing support that the MD is giving us in this,” said MLCS spokeswoman Coralee Beaulieu.
Council previously wrote a letter of support for the MLCS right to object to the proposed drilling project near Minnie Lake. The letter did not oppose the project itself.
Council discussed the MLCS's request and decided not to change its mind, said CAO Ryan Poole. “At this point in time we are not going to become an official opposition,” he said.
“We're not against progress, but we are concerned about them drilling within certain parameters of the perimeter of the lake,” said Coun. Mike Krywiak last week, whose ward includes Minnie Lake. “We have two MD parks there and we don't want all the noise and traffic going 100 metres from the perimeter of the lake.”
The new council would consider going to the province to amend regulations governing drilling activities near lakes, Rondeau said. He questioned how some lakes require only a 100-metre distance between drilling activities and a lake, while others require 300 metres distance.
“Probably 100 metres is way too close to a lake,” he said.
“We just really feel like those kind of limits on setbacks are not good enough,” said Beaulieu.
Krywiak said he would prefer a distance of 500 metres between drilling and the lake because people live around the lake. He is also opposed to drilling under the lake. He said the government should change the regulations to increase the minimum distance between drilling activity and lakes.