Ministerial order has groups sounding fresh round of alarms about coal mining in Alberta

A couple hundred people protested at the Alberta Energy Regulator hearings on coal mining applications in the Crowsnest Pass.

Environmental groups are raising alarm bells over a change in Alberta’s coal mining policy.

Meanwhile, the government says there’s no cause for concern.

Alberta Energy and Minerals Minister Brian Jean has issued a ministerial order, which anti-coal mining advocates are worried would lift all restrictions on coal mining on most of the Eastern Slopes of the Rockies.

The Alberta Energy Regulator says the government has directed it to lift the suspension of all coal mining approvals.

The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, the Alberta Wilderness Association and others are interpreting that as meaning coal exploration projects in areas that cover nearly the entire Eastern Slopes can advance immediately, including the Grassy Mountain open-pit mine project north of Blairmore in southern Alberta.

A public hearing on that project was held in Calgary just last week.

The groups question the government’s motives.

“There’s a lot of competing news today. ... If I were a cynic, I would say the government is trying to hide this announcement,” said Chris Spearman, team lead with Water for Food and former Lethbridge mayor.

Spearman called the government’s decision a poor one, and a damaging one.

“If you were mad three years ago, you should be really mad now,” he said.

“If you’re living in the Oldman River Valley, the risk of pollution and contamination is just as great as it is in the Elk River Valley in B.C.

“We’ve spent seven decades developing an agri-food industry in the Oldman River valley, and the government is going to jeopardize it all with a coal mining industry.”

Country music singer and activist Corb Lund echoed Spearman’s calling the government’s decision poor and damaging.

“People in southern Alberta have to look into this, especially people in agriculture, because if they really open up all these coal mines, it’s going to affect your water,” he said.

On Monday night, Jean’s office downplayed the concerns, saying this is just part of implementing new coal mining guidelines it announced last month.

A statement to CTV News says:

“This ministerial order is essentially a housekeeping change. … This does not open the door for coal development projects hoping to get approval before the new rules come into force. … This includes banning any new open-pit mining in our mountains and foothills and mandating that mining projects use modern underground mining techniques to protect water quality.”