Agrium Awaits Decision on Permit Approval to Sustain Operations in Alberta

---

Researched by Industrialinfo.com (Industrial Information Resources, Incorporated; Houston, Texas). Agrium Incorporated (Calgary, Alberta) is expecting a decision next month from the Canadian Natural Resources Conservation Board (NRCB) on whether Agrium will be able to expand its gypsum waste by-product storage at the Redwater, Alberta plant site (Plant 2017662; PEC 56000818). This storage area expansion for phosphogypsum (gyp stack) is necessary to keep the 620,000 metric ton per year phosphate nutrients plant running beyond 2006.

The storage expansion would consist of a nearly 295-acre expansion of their existing 400-acre gyp stack storage area and extend the life of the plant operations by an estimated 26 years. Agrium has been seeking approval for this expansion since the summer of 2002 and plans to begin construction immediately upon permit approval in order to meet future production requirements.

The gyp stack storage area will be constructed of 60-mil high-density polyethylene liners and perimeter dikes will also be constructed with liners offering the most complete waste product retention and the capture of runoff water. Groundwater monitoring wells will be installed to evaluate the subsurface water quality and air-monitoring equipment will be installed to expand air quality assessments at the Redwater site.