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Water For Food group launches petition in response to Crowsnest Pass referendum on Grassy Mountain coal mine

Meanwhile, Water For Life spokesman Chris Spearman charged the proposed mine would devastate southern Alberta's agri-food economy due to toxic selenium leaching into the water supply

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A southern Alberta group against a proposed coal mine in the Eastern Slopes of the Rockies kicked off a campaign Tuesday to garner signatures for an official petition members plan to present to Alberta’s UCP government.

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Australia-based Northback Holdings has applied to the Alberta Energy Regulator to begin a temporary drilling program to explore for coal and divert water to the Grassy Mountain coal mine, on a site mined more than 60 years ago but never properly restored. The AER hearings wrapped up in Calgary in mid-January and a decision is expected within 90 days of those hearings concluding.

In November, Crowsnest Pass residents, favouring the economic boost the coal mine would provide, voted 72 per cent in support of the development and operations of a steelmaking coal mine at Grassy Mountain. Northback says it’s proposing a high-quality, modern steelmaking coal project, which will be reclaimed during the lifetime of the project.

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But the non-binding Crowsnest Pass referendum, which got a turnout of 53.6 per cent of eligible voters, excluded the 200,000 people living downstream from the proposed coal mine, as well as farmers, intensive livestock operators, irrigators and employees of large southern Alberta food processing plants, says Water For Food, the group that’s launched the petition.

The petition says “Northback has not provided verifiable practice for controlling selenium contamination in the Oldman River basin” and “the risks of substantial harm to the environment, water and agri-food economy of southern Alberta far exceed the benefits of the proposed mine.”

Water For Life spokesman Chris Spearman said Tuesday the proposed mine would devastate southern Alberta’s agri-food economy due to toxic selenium leaching into the water supply.

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“It’s entirely likely and probable that the downstream effects of selenium in the Oldman River are going to impact municipalities and, what should terrify everybody, is even as far as the city of Lethbridge and all the municipalities it supplies with potable water,” Spearman, a former Lethbridge mayor, said during a Zoom meeting Tuesday afternoon with reporters.

In just over two weeks, 3,371 signatures are already on the petition, the group says. Water For Food will keep collecting signatures until the end of February before it’s presented to the legislature.

Also Tuesday, the Blood Tribe said a letter has been sent to Alberta Premier Danielle Smith stating the Kainai Nation’s opposition to any new coal development along the Eastern Slopes.

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“Kainai’s Chief and Council have a duty to protect our Nation’s Treaty rights, lands and waters, and Blackfoot way of life,” wrote Blood Tribe Chief Traveller (Travis) Plaited Hair in?a Jan. 28 letter to the premier.

“We wish to be very clear that Kainai opposes any new coal development in the Eastern Slopes of the Blackfoot Treaty region and we will take all steps necessary
against new coal mines, particularly in light of Alberta’s complete disregard for our Treaty rights.”

In the letter, Plaited Hair added he and council are “in the process of reviewing Kainai’s options and strategy with our legal counsel and potential coordination with the other Blackfoot Nations in opposition to new coal development.”

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    Albertans await decision on potential coal mine as public hearings wrap up
  2. Grassy Mountain, peak on left, and the Grassy Mountain Coal Project are seen north of Blairmore, Alta., Thursday, June 6, 2024.
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In 2020, the UCP government repealed Alberta’s 1976 coal policy and issued new leases, but less than two years later put a moratorium on nearly all new coal exploration and development in the Eastern Slopes.

Last month, Energy Minister Brian Jean lifted that moratorium, saying it would “reduce regulatory confusion” around coal mining. Smith cited coal companies’ pending lawsuits against the province when explaining why the government opted to lift the ban.

Jean’s office said the AER will need to consider the goals of the government’s new coal policy, which he announced in December, as it reviews new projects. The policy includes a ban on certain types of coal mining techniques, such as open-pit mining, as well as a requirement that companies show how they can prevent selenium from leaching into watersheds.

The Grassy?Mountain project was one of the few projects deemed advanced when the moratorium was imposed. Jean said in December the ban on open-pit mining wouldn’t apply to Grassy Mountain.

— With files from The Canadian Press

stipper@postmedia.com

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