Coal Policy Consultation Process
Energy Minister Sonya Savage convened an independent committee to assess provincial attitudes towards coal mining.
Who is this ‘panel’?
The panel consists of 5 people: Ron Wallace (chair) is an expert in regulatory policies related to environmental assessment; Fred Bradley is a former MLA (Pincher Creek-Crowsnest) and minister of the environment (under Peter Lougheed); Natalie Charlton is the executive director at Hinton and District Chamber of Commerce; Bill Trafford is the president of Livingstone Landowners Group and Eric North Peigan is a jeweller and silversmith, entrepreneur and member of Piikani Nation.
What is the panel doing?
Consultation has entered Phase 2. The panel is receiving technical submissions (evidence-based) and conducting Virtual Engagement Sessions.
Who are they consulting with?
Here are some of the participants in the Virtual Engagement sessions:
Hinton
Crowsnest Pass
MD of Greenview
MD of Pincher Creek
Alberta Wilderness Association
Environmental Law Centre
Cornelis Kolijn
Gord McKenna, McKenna Geotechnical Inc.
Guy Gilron, Borealis Environmental Consulting Inc.
Ram River Coal
Atrum Coal
Cabin Ridge Coal
Alberta Backcountry Hunters & Anglers
Alberta Fish and Game Assoc. (Zone 2)
Coal Association of Canada
Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (Y2Y)
Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS)
Submissions
Dedicated Albertans have been working tirelessly to provide the Committee with as much information as possible. This is a select list of submissions, though some are not official (not heard or accepted by the Committee). A full list of official submissions is available here.
Coal and the Public Interest in Alberta
Authors: Rainer Knopff, Harvey Locke, Ted Morton, Kevin Van Tighem
“The reasoning of the 1976 Lougheed coal policy should be adopted and extended by removing the “not normally” loophole in category 2 lands, thereby turning the longstanding moratorium on mining in these lands into a simple ban. This ban should be extended to include all former Category 3 and 4 lands in the mountains and foothills of Alberta’s Eastern Slopes.”
Coal Reserves and Coal Mine Economics of the Crowsnest Pass
Author: Willem Langenberg
“The Crowsnest Pass will be better served, economically and environmentally, by concentrating on alternative industries such as tourism, recreation, and renewable energy.”
Letter From a Concerned Albertan
Author: Brian Ficht
” I am concerned about chemicals leaching into our watershed waters as a result of the exposure of layers of previously buried rock to water passage and wind erosion, as well as the coal processing chemicals that may also get discharged.It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.”
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Alberta Coal Compliance
Author: Peter Jowett
”A review of Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) public information and discussions with various staff indicates that approvals for Coal Exploration Permits are granted with little or no field confirmation/study and can be based on thematic and outdated data without consideration for more comprehensive and current ecosystem wide consideration. Further, generic operating conditions are appended to Approvals which strongly rely upon self-reporting of non-compliance by industry. “
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