How Alberta’s energy and environment ministers misled on open-pit mining plans.
Tyee contributing editor Andrew Nikiforuk is an award-winning journalist whose books and articles focus on epidemics, the energy industry, nature and more. SHARES Alberta Energy Minister Sonya Savage with Premier Jason Kenney at a 2019 press conference. Neither made a public appearance in the face of a public backlash against the government’s easing of coal mining.
Photo by Jason Franson, the Canadian Press.
Last week Alberta’s government tried to hide political reality by issuing statements implying the “passion” of citizens had convinced it to back off its efforts to bring open-pit coal mining to a vast, ecologically-vital portion of the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains.
Alberta faces backlash after move to scrap coal policy, ease restrictions on mining
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Author of the article: Stephen Tipper
Publishing date: Jan 25, 2021 • January 25, 2021 • 2 minute read •
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Vulcan County’s planning commission unanimously approved Jan. 13 a subdivision application for a residential development about two kilometres south of Milo after receiving a legal opinion to address erosion concerns.
Cheemo Developments applied to create 12 new parcels and to enlarge one existing parcel, from a previously subdivided quarter section for country residential use.
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The Municipal Planning Commission (MPC) heard the application at the Dec. 16 meeting, but put off making a decision until a legal opinion could be sought to address erosion issues and the County’s potential liability.
Coal lease pause not enough, say groups
Poll
Yes
By Tim Kalinowski on January 20, 2021.
A portion of an interactive coal activity map (https://gis.energy.gov.ab.ca/Geoview/Coal) shows the area around the Crowsnest Pass and the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains in southern Alberta. Alberta Energy
Southern Alberta conservation groups and some public officials are welcoming the UCP government’s announcement that it will be putting a pause on new coal leases in the Eastern Slopes and cancelling new offerings on 11 leases with the Oldman River headwaters, but stress this gesture does little to address the many more lease offerings the government has already approved since unilaterally rescinding the Coal Policy in June of last year.
City council looking into controversial coal proposal
Poll
Would you support the Conservative Party of Canada’s carbon tax plan of consumer pricing with ‘green’ savings account?
Yes
Medicine Hat city council will consider lending its voice to opposition of a coal mining proposal near the headwaters of the South Saskatchewan river basin.
The proposed Grassy Mountain coal mine would be located in the Crowsnest Pass, just north of the town of Blairmore.
Mayor Ted Clugston said Monday that the issue has been raised by some residents and council discussed the matter in its closed session prior to Monday’s regular meeting.
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