Premier buoyant
over water level
• Getty still pushing
for upgrade of lake
near country home
By Ashley Geddes q£

C

(Herald Edmonton bureau)

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E D M O N T O N — Premier Don Getty
has dismissed calls to exclude himself
from pushing for provincial funding to
raise the level of water at Buffalo
Lake adjacent to his country estate.
And while the $15-million project
has yet to undergo environmental
impact hearings, Getty told the legisla­
ture Tuesday he's determined to see
the lake upgraded to make it a recre­
ation attraction for central Alberta.
" A n d we're going to do a l l the
necessary things from an environmen­
tal point of view, and then we're going
to make it happen," Getty said defiant­
ly. "Isn't it too bad?"
The comment raised the ire of New
Democrat tourism critic Jerry Doyle,
who had questioned whether it was
appropriate for Getty to be pushing for
the project to proceed.
Doyle said there's an "appearance"
that Getty could benefit personally
from the project, since raising the
water level will increase the value of
land surrounding the lake for tourism
and recreational use.
Doyle also questioned whether Get­
ty has overruled Environment Minis­
ter Ralph Klein, who says the project
will be subject to a full environmental
impact assessment before any goahead is given.

A series of government studies over
the last decade rejected proposals to
raise the water level on economic and
environmental grounds.
However, new life was pumped into
the plan when a new Alberta Environ­
ment study was released w i t h i n
months of Getty's byelection victory in
the Stettler riding, where the lake is
located.
That study contradicted the earlier
studies by concluding Red Deer River
water could be diverted into the lake
without harming the environment or
lake water quality.
A consultant was then hired to
conduct an environmental impact as­
sessment.
The consultant's final report has
yet to be released, but the draft report
concluded the water
diversion
wouldn't harm water quality.
The report also noted there would
be few economic benefits to the proj­
ect, except for some recreational inter­
ests around the lake.
Getty told reporters he's optimistic
the project will proceed and that it
will meet environmental standards.
"It's going to be a great project for
central Alberta," he said.
K l e i n later downplayed Getty's
comments, insisting a final decision on
the project won't be made until hear­
ings are held next year.
"But i f it's environmentally unsafe,
then it simply won't happen," K l e i n
said, suggesting Getty was only speak­
ing as M L A for the area.
Getty recently built a home over­
looking the lake..