Government of Alberta Announcement
On Friday, March 4, Alberta’s Minister of Energy, Sonya Savage, announced coal exploration and mining is banned on the Eastern Slopes, through ministerial order. While the 1976 Coal Policy is still in place, the ministerial order adds another layer of restrictions on coal mining in the province.
Recommendations from the government-appointed Coal Policy Committee were also released, along with a final report, which details the findings of the committee. The Oldman Watershed Council made recommendations to the committee based on perspectives from across the watershed and science-based information regarding potential impacts to the watershed. You can find our written submission and presentation here.
The newly introduced ban has a few important nuances. First, ministerial orders can be changed or removed at any time. This means that the ban is not enshrined in law, and as such, may not be permanent and could be changed by the government at any time.
Secondly, there are exemptions from the ministerial ban. Existing coal mines seeking expansion and new coal mining projects already going through the federal and provincial regulatory review process are exempt from the ban. The approval or rejection of these new or expanding mines will be determined (likely) years in the future, once their individual regulatory review processes are complete. According to CBC, there are four mines currently undergoing review that are exempt from the ban.
Thirdly, the Minister stated that coal mining, as well as most other land uses, will be discussed in more detail during regional planning processes. Regional plans typically take several years to develop and are part of the Land-use Framework. Regional plans have been completed for the South Saskatchewan River Basin and Lower Athabasca; one is underway for the North Saskatchewan area, with additional plans in queue for the rest of the province.
What this means for the future
What this ultimately means is that coal mining may still be on the table in Alberta, but it is contingent on regional plans deeming that coal mining is an acceptable land use for a given area. Regional plans involve extensive public, stakeholder, and Indigenous engagement, so for a new coal mining project to go forward, there would presumably need to be local community support. This new regional approach differs from what is currently in place, which is a single coal policy for the entire Eastern Slopes area.
What about the Oldman Watershed?
In the Oldman watershed, there is currently a coal mine proposal undergoing regulatory review: the Tent Mountain Mine Redevelopment Project in Crowsnest Pass. The review process is in early stages. Using past projects as an indicator, it will likely be years before a decision is made by federal and provincial regulators. An Impact Assessment, which outlines the environmental, economic, and social benefits and drawbacks, will also likely be required. The Oldman Watershed Council reviewed the Terms of Reference for the Impact Assessment and provided feedback to the Alberta Energy Regulator. In our review, we share local perspectives and science-based information about potential impacts to the watershed. You can read our submission here.
