Dear Editor,
As a local area resident, I am deeply concerned about the recent first reading passed by Foothills County council to amend bylaws for the proposed Rimrock Renewables biodigester facility.
This decision, and the manner in which public input was handled, deserves serious scrutiny.
At the June 11 public hearing, residents were limited to just five minutes each to speak. Microphones were cut off mid-sentence, and one citizen was threatened with removal by a bylaw officer — not for unruly conduct, but for attempting to voice concerns over misinformation. This is not how open and transparent governance should operate.
The biodigester project itself raises legitimate questions. What are the long-term risks to our air and water quality? What about odour, truck traffic, real estate values and environmental impact? These concerns are not trivial, they are vital to the health, safety and quality of life in our communities.
Council’s apparent eagerness to push this project forward while silencing residents and restricting meaningful public dialogue is deeply troubling. It sends the message that public participation is more of a box to check than a right to protect.
We do not oppose renewable energy. We oppose decisions being made without being fully informed, adequate studies or a fair process.
Foothills County council and Reeve Delilah Miller must take accountability for how this hearing was conducted and how this project is being managed.
The public deserves a pause on any further readings for the bylaw amendments until a respectful, extended public consultation process that values citizen input is held.
If this facility is truly in the best public interest, there should be no fear of public scrutiny, only an eagerness to meet it with respect and transparency.
Carrie Derish
High River
