Alberta Coal Policy Endangers Lives, Health, and Farmer Livelihood, say NFU Farmers
The Government of Alberta must reinstate the moratorium on coal mining for human, animal, and environmental safety, says the National Farmers Union (NFU). Projects such as the Grassy Mountain coal mine and other coal projects on the east face of the Rocky Mountains must be denied approval.
On January 20, 2025, Alberta Minister of Energy and Minerals, Brian Jean, notified the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) that the government was lifting the moratorium on coal projects that has been in place in Alberta since 1976. The Alberta Government briefly lifted the moratorium in 2020, but it was quickly reinstated due to immense public backlash.
“This rollback of Alberta’s coal policy represents a serious threat to farmers as well as tourism, the environment, and aquatic life. The principal threat lies with selenium contamination, something I have already had to deal with once in my farming career because of the oil patch.” Says NFU Alberta Board Member, Glenn Norman.
Unlike most metals, selenium is released into the environment through chemical reduction; in other words, the more alkaline water is, the more dangerous selenium becomes. The Alberta Government’s publications state that the streams flowing from the Rockies are alkaline. This means that the dust and runoff from the mines reaching the streams will carry the selenium it contains further downstream and onto farms and into drinking water. From there it can contaminate the surface stream flow and enter the aquifers through ground water.
The lifting of the moratorium on coal reopens the possibility of coal mining projects on the east face of the Rocky Mountains. The previously canceled Grassy Mountain coal mine project, in the hands of new owners Northback, an Australian mining company, now finds itself under review by the AER for approval.
The Grassy Mountain mining operation would directly impact the Oldman River and its watershed. Alberta has experienced moderate to severe drought conditions for several years and water is at critical levels. The Oldman River and its reservoir are at all-time lows and the snowpack in the Rockies continues to dwindle. Many farms, ranches and municipalities and the downstream users in Saskatchewan and Manitoba also depend on The Oldman River for both irrigation and drinking water.
In 1976 the Alberta Progressive Conservative government of Premier Peter Lougheed showed great vision and wisdom when they put in place the coal policy to protect Alberta’s waterways and natural beautiful areas from mining. “The role of government is to govern in the common good and the public trust. The Alberta Government’s coal policy is neither of these. The provincial government needs to reinstate the coal policy from 1976 in its entirety” says NFU Alberta member Neil Peacock.
The NFU stands resolute against the Grassy Mountain project which threatens health and livelihoods well beyond its devastating local impacts.
