This was one of the 1998 TAC Environment Achievement Award Nominations (1). Strathcona County is Alberta's third largest municipality by population located directly east of the City of Emonton. The Secondary Highway 830 (SH830) project, 22kms in length, is located entirely within rural Strathcona County and was planned for reconstruction over five stages of various lengths based on available funding from Alberta Transportation and Utilities and Strathcona County's tax base. Stranthcona County's Engineering and Environmental Planning Department, responsible for the planning and design of the project, recognized that there would be an impact on the environment through the southern 16kms of the project. Strathcona County decided that for this project, a policy of "no net loss" to natural habitat would be in effect. In 1996, Strathcona County asked for environmental consultants to provide proposals for an environmental assessment for the southern 16kms of the project. This environmental assessment had the following principal objectives: Review existing information related to the environment of the proposed project; Assess potential impacts of the proposed reconstruction on the existing environment; Identify measures that could be used to avoid or minimize impacts to the environment during construction, operation and maintenance of the highway; Identify which route would have the least adverse impact on the natural environment and the extent of land and wetland losses which could be mitigated to minimize net loss to the environment.
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