Landfill Waste Footprint Expansion

The Town of Drayton Valley retained Tetra Tech Canada Inc. (Tetra Tech) to prepare a Disclosure Plan for submission to Alberta Environment and Protected Areas (AEPA) for the expansion of the currently approved limit of waste to include Cell 3E and Cell 4F (please see accompanying map) at the Aspen Waste Management Facility (AWMF or Site). The Disclosure Plan provides an agreed upon description of the expectations for the Approval process between the Town and AEPA to obtain the desired Approval Amendment for lateral expansion. The intent of the Disclosure Plan was to provide AEPA with an early notification of the project, including a description of specific issues and conditions, with the goal of ensuring that the Approval Application meets the necessary regulatory requirements. The Disclosure Plan strictly adheres to the requirements set forth in the Standards for Landfills in Alberta (Standards). The Disclosure Plan was approved by AEPA on August 30, 2023.

A technical investigation of the expansion areas was conducted in the Fall of 2023 to determine if the areas are suitable for waste disposal in accordance with the Standards. There are no anticipated impacts or interference to utility or power connections to adjacent properties while this work is underway. If the areas are found to be suitable an Amendment Application will be prepared and submitted to AEPA for approval.

The proposed expansion is wholly within the current property boundary. A limit of waste expansion will allow the Town to increase the area permitted for disposal within the current AWMF boundary. This will extend the life of the Site and prepare for Drayton Valley’s future waste needs. Moreover, the AWMF is a revenue generating operation within the Town. In addition to local residential and commercial users, the AWMF accepts waste from neighbouring municipalities; user fees are used to fund operational, expansion and post closure expenditures, thereby reducing the financial burden on the Town and its taxpayers.