The province lifting a ban on new coal exploration and development on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains has been drawing some criticism.
Dr. Sarah Elmeligi, the NDP Shadow Minister for Environment and Protected Areas, says this move is creating confusion and uncertainty.
“What it looks like to me they’re thinking about is the priority of addressing the economic needs of foreign owned coal companies over the needs of Albertans. The reason why this is so concerning is that these are our headwaters. What we do in those headwaters has dramatic impacts for everybody who is downstream.”
This comes only a few weeks after the government said it was developing tougher rules for mining in the eastern slopes region, including areas just south of Grande Prairie and Valleyview.
One of the main concerns, according to Elmeligi, is on the effects on water quality in Alberta’s rivers.
“Coal mining releases selenium into water. That selenium cannot be removed. There is no technology that will take selenium out of the water, reducing it to safe levels for fish and livestock and people.”
Back in 2020, the province moved to scrap a 1976 policy that limited coal development in the Eastern Slopes region, but public backlash lead to the ban on coal exploration being put in place.
You can listen to the full interview below.
– Kyle Moore, Trending 55 Newsroom
