Letter: Let’s make sure we’re not left in the coal dust

By Letter to the Editor on February 5, 2021.

Dear editor,

There’s been much discussion regarding the Open Pit Coal Mines planned for the Eastern Slopes. Alberta’s government willingly tangled itself in a net of challenges, and has now decided to take on sculpting our Rocky Mountains down to find coal!

Days were spent listening to the AER hearings in October that bandied terms like remediation, economic relief, natural impacts and cultural effects, as if once ‘rules and policies’ are established, it’ll be just fine. But we’ve seen the result of some of these projects, and it ain’t purty!

A footprint on a grand scale is morphing into a monster, which is extremely troubling, even in its initial stages of exploration and assessment.

Construction that rearranges roads so industry has priority over access to existing residential properties? There are already road closures and access restrictions! Signing over land leases at bargain prices – should we have a conglomeration getting those rights? Ensuring remediation is managed to sustain the current flora, fauna, fish and fowl habitat (including those of us downwind and downstream)?

We enjoy many frost-free days annually here, Chinook Winds pushing 170kph can rearrange a lot (dust from Mount St Helen’s, for example), extreme temperature fluctuations and precipitation throughout the year – can’t imagine the vegetation specialization required under these conditions at higher elevations! Building infrastructure to accommodate the business of mining will chase wildlife away – to our back yards! There’s been no effort by mining companies to establish foundation water or air baseline data – don’t they need this information to ensure proper remediation? You’d have to know the goals to realize successful results.

Economic stimulus for 500-plus jobs over 15-20 years (and a few other projects in the works), with minimal royalty (1 per cent) in return vs. water contamination for that portion of the South Saskatchewan? Will our neighbours to the east take the water we send in accordance to the Master Agreement on Appropriation if it’s carrying coal particulates? Should we be contemplating disemboweling our ‘water towers’ for a region already recognizing the resource is in short supply? Removing the pristine peaks that make Alberta’s Rockies a ‘world recognized destination’ and imploding mountains to create particulates for future generations to clean up – how much are we willing to risk?

It’s a unique landscape, one that would be difficult if not impossible to replicate. Let’s do this right so we aren’t left in the dust – the coal dust!

Tony and Debbie Webster

Municipal District of Ranchland No. 66

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