Letter: Cancelled coal leases no reason to cheer or applaud

By Letter to the Editor on January 23, 2021.

Dear editor,

UCP Energy Minister Sonya Savage just announced cancellation of 11 recently issued coal leases on the Eastern Slope of the Rocky Mountains.

She claims the basis for this decision was because the government is listening to concerned Albertans upset by the risks to the water shed and wildlife in the region. Reason to cheer and applaud? I think not!

What Ms. Savage isn’t saying is that these cancelled leases represent a tiny fraction of leases that are going to be allowed.

According to Katie Morrison, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, there are still 840,000 acres at risk. The Grassy Mountain coal mining project outside Blairmore is inching toward an inevitable in-service date if the government doesn’t pull the plug.

Not sure that’s going to happen because hey – there’s the possibility of 400 coal mining jobs in that community.

As I write (Monday), the UCP is preparing to go to court Tuesday arguing against having a judicial review despite the fact it’s required by law.

I’m just as keen as the next person to see job creation in Alberta, but I sure as heck don’t want to see the mountains coming down, water sources being contaminated and wildlife seriously impacted to achieve that goal. Also, rest assured when coal mining at Grassy Mountain eventually ends 20-30 years from now, there won’t be anybody standing around preparing to do ‘reclamation.’

When will the UCP start acting like a principled government that actually cares about positioning the province for long term success vs. pursuing these half witted initiatives?

If you’d rather not see our pristine mountain range turned into an open pit mine and the water shed ruined, take the time to let our elected provincial officials where you stand.

Tom Simpson

Medicine Hat

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