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Eyes wide shut
Our favourite councillors at the M.D. of Big Lakes can go back to sleep.
For awhile there, it looked like they might have to actually take note of the world around them, and get involved in the 21st century.
For awhile.
There was the Faust water treatment scare. A government study said the treatment plant at Faust was substandard and among the worst in the province. That information came from 2003. One assumes since that time, everything is back to hunky-dory. So, the factors that lead to the 2003 report can be forgotten. Ever increasing treatment standards sent down by both federal and provincial governments can also be set aside. Why try to prepare for the future? It’s going to happen anyway, right? And in ways we probably can’t even think of today, right? Doing as little as possible, besides listening to road complaints and planning the next convention out of town, is our strong suit anyway. So, let’s run with our strengths!
A few years ago, the M.D. received a well-researched document on economic development opportunities. Fortunately, local entrepreneurs and business people haven’t waited for any councillors to act on the report. We will have the Edmonton Oilers as Stanley Cup champions before something like that happens. As with the Faust water treatment plant, the waiting game may be paying off. Read on.
That economic development report suggested an ethanol processing plant might be a viable project in the M.D. The two big ideas behind ethanol are “green’’ energy, and also it gives producers another market for grain crops. As is well known these days, ethanol plants are sprouting like topsy across North America. Brazil already powers most vehicles on ethanol. Seventy-eight under construction in North America, and still more in planning.
Ethanol isn’t a new idea around the High Prairie area. As far back as the ‘80s, it was talked about. Then, as today, government subsidies were required to turn a profit. Our local bright lights figured building an industry needing government subsidies was a waste of time. So, the idea was shelved over and over again.
Interestingly, industries like manufacturing, agriculture, small business, hi-tech, nuclear energy, and even our oil and gas industries get a multitude of different subsidies in one form or another. Kudos for them. But a pox on ethanol.
Guess what? Twenty-five years of pumping the pooch on this may finally pay off. An Iowa State University study says the building boom in ethanol will probably go bust at the end of this year or next. Too much production, high input costs, falling prices will all ‘’scuttle the boom.’’ A spokesman for the school says existing plants have made hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. But that won’t continue.
That is very much disputed by people involved in the industry.
The mere fact somebody, someplace, is saying “boo’’ should be enough for local politicians.
In about 10 years or so, they might be able to say with confidence, “We told you so.’’
In the meantime, let’s continue sleepwalking through life.
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