Terrible decisions on not protecting Alberta Parklands and rescinding 1976 Coal Policy with no public consultation.

Reference Number
749
Text
I am writing to voice my opinion against the Grassy Mountain coal project. I think it is a short-sighted project that will be dangerous in the long term to our environment in terms of wildlife habitat, water contamination, air pollution, destruction of Alberta crown land, etc. The benefits of the proposed steelmaking coal project which will be primarily or completely for export to Asia-Pacific and India, will mainly accrue to Riverside Resources of Australia, an ultra-conservative company with no real concern in our best interests.  The minor benefit to the Blairmore area is a mere drop in the bucket over 23 short years whereas the decapitating of the mountain and deleterious ramifications of the mining project will remain a blight on our landscape and environment forever.  The Australians are trying to take advantage of Alberta's current weak position in the bitumen industry. The following statement of Dr. Andrea Hull delineates the major concerns well: "Having whole landscapes stripped open will be a slow moving natural disaster," said Dr. Andrea Hull, spokesperson for the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE). She said CAPE Alberta is strongly opposed to open pit coal mining on the eastern slopes due to the significant impact it will have on the well being of Albertans. Dr. Hull said the group is concerned about building a coal mine at the headwaters of the Oldman and North Saskatchewan rivers. "Effectively this could threaten the drinking water for over a million Albertans," Hull said, "particularly in Lethbridge and Edmonton." Dr. Hull pointed to selenium pollution from coal mines in neighbouring British Columbia as examples of horrific contamination that continues to cause major downstream effects on fish and drinking water, despite spending $600-million to try and address the concerns. "There are better solutions to finding long-term economic prosperity which don't involve sacrificing the health of our children." On 9 October 2020, Andrew Nikiforuk wrote in The Tyee.ca: Big Coal Down Under: "Between 2003 and 2013, Australia - much like Alberta - experienced one of the world's largest mining booms to supply growing Asian markets with steel-making coal, thermal coal and iron ore. The country exports about half the world's hard-coking coal used to turn iron ore into steel. But that boom has largely ended. Depleting resource quality and poor economics in existing mines as well as increased opposition to open-pit mining, has forced the Australians overseas. Last year, the New South Wales Land and Environment court rejected an open-pit mine for hard-coking coal proposed in the community of Gloucester Valley. The beef and dairy community is about the same size as the Crowsnest Pass, population 3,000, and just as scenic with towering mountain vistas. The judge said the mine wasn't in the public interest and cited the same reasons that ranchers, landowners, irrigators, tourist operators and conservationists are now marshalling in their public campaign to reject the Aussie invasion in the Rockies. In his lengthy and landmark ruling, the judge said that "the exploitation of the coal resource in the Gloucester Valley would not be a sustainable use and would cause substantial environmental and social harm." He said the project would also "cause noise, air and light pollution that will contribute to adverse social impacts." The judge added the open-pit mine would impoverish "people's way of life; community; access to and use of infrastructure, services and facilities; culture; health and well-being; surroundings; and fears and aspirations."   To the alarm of Australia's powerful mining industry, the judge also cited climate change as major reason for rejection: "The construction and operation of the mine, and the transportation and combustion of the coal from the mine, will result in the emission of greenhouse gases, which will contribute to climate change." But in Alberta, a province that has rejected a national carbon tax and lags in policies to mitigate climate change, Aussie coal miners are now hoping to recreate the same formula for their past success at home: low royalties, low corporate taxes, minimal regulations and facilitating politicians." I hope the long-term interests and concerns of Canadians and Albertans will be respected in this matter. Yours truly, Nancy E. Constable Edmonton, Alberta
Submitted by
Nancy Constable
Phase
N/A
Public Notice
N/A
Attachment(s)
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Date Submitted
2020-10-28 - 11:55 PM
Date modified: