On June 1, 2020, the Alberta government rescinded a Coal Development Policy. This policy protected 1.5 million hectares of environmentally significant lands in the Eastern Slopes of the Rocky Mountains of Alberta. Without that policy in place, that land is now vulnerable to coal exploration, development and mining.

People all over Alberta are now voicing their concerns about the consequences of that decision. They are concerned because the planned projects could affect waterways that supply drinking water to more than a million Canadians says Jessica Jacobs, a concerned Airdronian, who has written a letter to the Environment Minister, local MLA Angela Pitt and Premier Jason Kenny. "The way I see it this is not a partisan issue, this is about clean water and about our environment, those things bind us all together. The impact of these mines going through is irreversible, the short term economic gain is not worth the long term consequences. The waters that will be affected serves as clean water for over a million Albertans and countless industry. Think agriculture, wheat, canola, Taber corn, sugar beets, lentils, think Alberta beef. all of this depends on clean water."

Jessica Jacobs letter to local MLA Angela Pitt, The Alberta Environment Minister and Premier Jason Kenny.

Some Alberta ranchers are speaking out and have gone as far as putting in an application for a judicial review. Other Albertans speaking out against the project including a man who helped shape Premier Peter Lougheed's policies that stopped coal mining on the eastern slopes back in the 1970s, famous musicians Paul Brandt and Corb Lund and an environmental geochemist. Read more here: 

Former Okotokian Environmental Geochemist Warns Against Proposed Coal Mine

Former Peter Lougheed Government Associate Opposes End Of Moratorium

There are even some levels of local government speaking out about the project like the High River council: 

High River Mayor And Council Oppose Lifting Coal Mining Moratorium

While you can take a look at some of the key documents regarding the reviews done about the project on the Government of Alberta website:

Grassy Mountain Coal Project

Jacobs doesn't think enough public consultation was done, " I feel like if they were so confident that this was the best thing for Alberta, why was public consultation not a priority?" This is part of why she is speaking out now, "Unfortunately, I believe we live in a world nowadays people are really afraid to speak up. Number one we live in a world where in one hundred and forty-two characters somebody can troll you and shut you down and make you feel bad, so people don't like to speak up. Number two, we have also have sort of adopted this whole idea of silence, those people over there will look after it, it's not my issue, I am overwhelmed with all the negative that I'm hearing in the news, somebody else will look after it, somebody else will deal with it and the bottom line is if we maintain this idea of being complacent in fifty years from now there's no turning back." She also says she is doing it for her kids and because as Albertans, the mountain landscape is where we love to spend our free time and that will be destroyed and we all have to be accountable for the impact we are making and we are getting to the point where it's too late. She's not against industry she just wants to make sure the industry is doing things responsibly. 

There are some discussions, public hearings and information sessions that were done by Benga Mining Ltd JRP you can find these on their YouTube channel  

According to people opposing open-pit coal mines, the project will consume enormous volumes of water and pollute waterways with selenium and other toxic metals for hundreds of years. Previous projects like in Australia, farmers and ranchers have documented the industry’s environmental impacts, saying the coal industry has left local economies worse off and left only health and water issues.

The proposed coal mines do have some support, from people who hope it will help to boost Alberta's economy and provide much-needed jobs. Benga Mining Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Australian coal development company Riversdale Resources, has plans to develop a 1,500-hectare mine on top of Grassy Mountain, just north of the town of Blairmore and produce 4.5-million tonnes annually of metallurgical coal for Asian markets. Officials from the company have said the mine would create about 400 full-time jobs when at peak production. 

A graphic from the companies website Riversdale Resources, explaining the project.

If you wish to express your opinion about the Grassy Mountain Coal Project you have until 4 pm today (January 15) to submit your concerns. Scroll to the bottom press “Participate” and then sign in. 

DiscoverAirdrie reached out to Banff-Airdrie MP Blake Richards, Airdrie-East MLA Angela Pitt, Mayor Peter Brown, and the Grassy Mountain Coal Project Impact Assessment Agency of Canada but, by our deadline, they either had not gotten back to us or declined comment. 

Send your news tips, story ideas, pictures, and videos to news@discoverairdrie.com