After three days of contentious hearings, punctuated by large and noisy opposition rallies, the fate of Northback Holding’s proposal to explore for coal in the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains now hinges on a decision from the Alberta Energy Regulator.
The Australian-owned company’s proposal has triggered condemnation from a wide cross-section of Albertans concerned about the environmental and health effects on the Old Man River and downstream communities, including ranchers, landowners, some First Nation members and environmentalists.
Northback Holdings applied to explore for coal in the Grassy Mountain area of the Rocky Mountains, just north of Blairmore in the Crowsnest Pass.
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The first round of hearings into the project– which would be located just north of Blairmore, in the Crowsnest Pass — took place in Pincher Creek in early December 2024.
The second round of hearings, which began on Tuesday, wrapped up on Thursday at the AER offices in Calgary.
Carrying signs with such slogans as “protect our children’s heritage” and shouting things like “water, no coal,” dozens of protesters gathered outside the final day of hearings on the project that has already previously been rejected by both federal and provincial environmental review panels.
“They’ve opened up a denied project, denied for very good reasons, reasons that have not gone away, in fact reasons that have arguably gotten worse, especially in terms of water, and drought issues,” said protester Rebecca Brown.
“The facts speak for themselves,” said protester Laura Laing. “To us the answer is pretty straight forward. We have examples of what coal mining would mean in our headwaters and it’s devastating.”
Opponents say if the Alberta Energy Regulator allows coal mining in the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains, it will have negative impacts on the environment and people’s health that will be felt for generations to come.
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Northback Holdings spokesperson Rina Blacklaws said the company expects the Alberta Energy Regulator “to make a decision based on evidence.”
Northback has maintained the environmental regulations it would be forced to operate under are amongst the strictest in the world and that modern coal mining practices are very different than those of the past.
Northback Holdings spokesperson, Rina Blacklaws, says the proposed coal mining would take place under some of the strictest environmental regulations in the world.
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On Thursday, a presentation from a landscape ecologist suggested the project would have significant and lasting impacts on water, sustainable beef and recreation in the area for generations to come.
But despite the widespread opposition to the project, opponents expect it will be given the go-ahead by the AER.
A decision is expected within 90 days.