Dust and noise coming from a gravel pit south of Black Diamond has a number of acreage owners in an uproar.
Neighbouring residents have been complaining to the landowner, MD of Foothills and Alberta Environment, since work began on extracting gravel at the site a month ago.
Among the hardest hit is Andrzej Dziuba, whose home is directly south of the site.
Dziuba said he constantly hears the machinery beeping and crushing gravel and has dust blowing through his property several times a week.
“Sometimes you can feel it in your eyes,” he said. “I would like something to be done with this.”
While Dziuba and his girlfriend made several calls to Alberta Environment and the MD, he said nothing changed.
The couple put their home up for sale after council rezoned the land in 2013 to allow for the gravel pit. Since they moved there a decade ago, they saw the addition of four radio towers and two gravel pits near their property.
Heather McInnes, MD of Foothills development officer, said staff visited the site several times, herself included, to ensure the development permit regulations were being followed and found no infractions. The permit clause for gravel pits has no restrictions on dust levels, she said.
“The first year that they set up they need to do berming (around the site),” she said. “It’s unrealistic to place a dust condition on a permit when we know dust will be kicked up. Until they are seeded, dust will be a little more prevalent. The first year is always the hardest year for residents and we understand that.”
While dust is not addressed, McInnes said operational hours are. Crews are only permitted to operate 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through to Saturday, she said.
MD Coun. Jason Parker, who represents the area, said he is concerned for residents.
“It’s so unfortunate that my residents are having to deal with this,” he said. “My residents’ health is important to me. I never wanted them to have a gravel pit in the first place.”
When the development permit comes up for renewal this spring, Parker said he will encourage council to place a condition on dust.
“Since our MD has dealt with gravel pits for a number of years they have a good idea there will be a little bit of dust to get these berms going,” he said. “That’s why council generally gives them a year to get that in place. Once they’re in place and seeded it will cut down on the sound and the dust dramatically.”
Ben Potter, whose house is across the street from the gravel pit, was one of many residents who opposed the pit during public consultations last year.
“Nobody wanted it, but I knew it was going to happen,” he said. “You need these resources.”
Potter watched construction crews begin preparing the site last year and excavating gravel about a month ago.
“It’s devaluing my property,” he said. “I’ve applied for a reduction in my property taxes through the assessor’s office.”
Brian Graf’s home is a quarter mile from the site on a hill overlooking the gravel pit. Graf said he also deals with dust, although not to the extent of his neighbours.
Graf attended meetings and public consultations regarding the proposed gravel pit a year ago.
“We didn’t want it because of the dust and the noise,” he said.
David Clark, who purchased the land last year, said the subcontractor was made aware of the dust concerns more than a week ago.
“They are cognizant of it and they are taking remedial steps in order to mitigate it the best they can,” he said. “You are never going to be able to eliminate all the dust and noise from a gravel pit.”
Clark said as work progresses the trucks and machines will mine lower, which will alleviate the dust and noise.
“Once you can get some stock piles in place and get the crusher down lower it improves the situation,” he said. “Right now it’s highly exposed and a lot of the dust is actually coming from the trucks.”
