Proposed Sand and Gravel Pit on the North Raven River, ...aka Stauffer Creek

Hi Everybody!

We should be very concerned about this proposal for a sand and gravel pit on Stauffer Creek. Take a look at the proposal and the reply to Don Andersen's concerns from the Minister!

click on the letter to see a larger version!

Letter from Don Andersen to the Minister of Environment and Sustainable Resources.

Dear sir:

While I recognize the requirement for gravel there are places in Alberta where the risk to the environment is just too high for a gravel mine.

The headwaters if the North Raven River is just such a place. The lands where the headsprings are located were purchased by the Alberta Conservation Assoc., Trout Unlimited Canada, Central Alberta Chapter of Trout Unlimited and the Alberta Fish and Game Assoc. These purchases were an attempt to protect the headspwings integrity and the stream. Further, the lands directly east of the proposed gravel pit were purchased by the Province who also recognized the importance of protecting the spring source waters.

The North Raven River is a very rare thing in Alberta, a spring creek and as such deserves the millions of dollars spent and thousand of volunteer hours invested to protect it over the past forty years. While the North Raven is not only rare it is also the closest trout stream to Edmonton where public access is possible.

As the co-habitat Chairman of the Central Alberta Chapter of Trout Unlimited, I've spent thousands of my own dollars plus hundred of hours attempting to repair the damaged caused by agribusiness. Dana Woodworth, your Deputy Minister, was a participant in one of these projects on a head spring adjacent to the Gravel Pit Proposal.

I trust that you will see the value of protecting this stream and urge you to stop the the Hankinson Gravel Pit Proposal in the County of 

Clearwater.

regards,

Don Andersen

co-habitat Chairman

Central Alberta Chapter of Trout Unlimited

5615 54A Ave.

Rocky Mountain House,

Alberta,

T4T 1H6

403-845-2069