New Year, New Start for Grassy Mountain
April 1, 2016
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April 2016 WildLands Advocate update by Esther Bogorov
On March 21, 2016 the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) sent an email to Benga Mining Limited about their proposed coal mining project on Grassy Mountain in the Crowsnest Pass. The subject was “AER Environmental Assessment Major Deficiency Report” and requested that Benga provide a work plan and commitment to address all the deficiencies found in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). The letter
then details, in 20 pages, why the company’s EIA was incomplete.
The first issue is broad, where the methodology for the EIA is unclear and the word “significant” is used without a clear definition (the word “significant” is associated with a metric when used in an EIA, and it cannot be used without the proper calculations that are attached to it). Then, the AER goes on to pick apart the assessment in many sub-categories. They include conservation and reclamation, biodiversity, air, water, land, vegetation, wildlife, land-use, history, and socio-economic. In summary, the letter states the EIA was insufficient in every category imaginable.
To read the full update, click here
