The province is ending all new coal-related exploration development on the Eastern Slopes of the Rocky Mountains, but will allow four advanced projects to continue through the regulatory process.
The province released its long-awaited Coal Policy Committee Report on Friday and will also be adding new restrictions to support the sensitive and critical nature of the land in the area. The new restrictions will be in place under ministerial order until land-use policies can be officially updated — a process that will take years.
“What we heard very clearly is how much Albertans care about the landscape, in particular the Eastern Slopes,” said Energy Minister Sonya Savage. “What we’ve done, we’ve actually strengthened the 1976 coal policy, we reinstated it fully, and we have hard-wired the restrictions into place.”
The ministerial order will expand the halt of coal exploration in Category 2 lands to also include Category 3 and 4 lands, as defined by the 1976 policy.
The seven existing coal mines and their exploration and development will also be permitted to continue as will abandonment and reclamation projects.
The advanced coal projects which will continue through the regulatory process began their application prior to the lifting of the 1976 policy and include Grassy Mountain, Tent Mountain, Vista (Phase 2) expansion and Mine 14.
An advanced coal project is defined as a project where the proponent has requested a review by the Alberta Energy Regulator for the purpose of determining whether an environmental impact assessment is required. Going through the process does not, however, mean the project will ultimately be approved.
Savage said that the government does not have the ability to involve itself in the regulatory process once it has begun.
The five-person committee was formed on March 29 to engage with the public and stakeholders, including Indigenous groups, on the issue of exploration and coal mining in one of the province’s most important tourism destinations and fragile ecosystems.
Savage did not address why they decided to rescind the 1976 coal policy in the first place, just that there was considerable backlash.
Little was publicized about the rescinding of the policy until after exploration permits had been issued. The likes of Alberta country music star Corb Lund got ahold of it and kickstarted a campaign to reinstate the Peter Lougheed-era restrictions.
There were several exploration permits issued, all to international companies strictly for export. This past April, in a survey sponsored by Alberta Energy, and received more than 25,000 respondents, 90 per cent said “No” to opening up development of the Eastern Slopes to coal mining.
Those who responded to the province throughout their nine months of engagement pointed to the environmental, tourism, downstream community and industry impacts far outweighing any economic benefits. All told, the committee held 67 sessions with more than 70 groups and received 176 written submissions.
Committee chairman Ron Wallace said the province already had the tools in place to stop future development.
“We didn’t need new legislation or policies,” he said.
The province received the report on Dec. 28 but had reportedly been examining it over the last two months. The report made eight recommendations which the government said they accept: to modernize Alberta’s coal policy, involve Indigenous communities in the land use planning process, articulate land use guidance for coal exploration and development under the Alberta Land Stewardship Act, review Alberta’s coal tender and royalty regimes, address freehold coal mineral rights, assess proposed new coal projects with rigorous net benefit tests, resolve uncertainties regarding reclamation responsibilities, and address reclamation liabilities for legacy coal mines.
Savage said the new policy could take years to put together due to its complicated nature. She also pointed to a mandated review of the Southern Saskatchewan River Management Framework that must be undertaken in 2024, which would include reviewing coal exploration policies.
NDP Energy Critic Kathleen Ganely said the ministerial order does not give any assurances the issue has been properly dealt with. She said the government lifted the existing policy with a “stroke of a pen” and there is nothing stopping them from doing it again.
She said NDP leader Rachel Notley would be presenting a private member’s bill in the near future to call for an end to any future exploration or coal mining in the Rockies.
“Albertans care deeply about this issue, they care deeply about protecting our mountains and protecting our water and they deserve to see protections in place where they can keep an eye on them,” said Ganely.
Twitter: @JoshAldrich03
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