A company that threatened to shut down its Edmonton-area fertilizer plant unless its expansion plan was approved has been given the green light.
Alberta’s Natural Resources Conservation Board gave Agrium Products Inc. conditional approval earlier this month to extend the storage area at its phosphate fertilizer plant near Redwater.
People who live near the plant were trying to block the $24-million expansion over health concerns about fluoride leaks and low-level radiation.
There were also concerns about noise.
“Overall, the project is unlikely to result in significant adverse environmental effects,” the board said in a release.
“The panel has expressed, through its decision, the need for Agrium to renew its commitment to resolve its neighbours’ noise concerns.”
Last February Agrium said it would close the plant, a move that would put more than 750 people out of work, if regulators failed to approve its expansion.
The company said the expansion should be complete by the end of 2005.
“Obviously we are very pleased that we can now move forward with our expansion,” said Alex Watson, general manager for Agrium’s Redwater and Fort Saskatchewan plants.
“The regulatory process confirmed our project is in the best public interest.”
The company wants to almost double its output of gypsum, a waste product of fertilizer production.
