Grassy Mountain Blog

Alberta Wilderness Association wrote Premier Smith and Minister Jean on September 21, 2023 to express our concern regarding the ongoing coal mining projects in the Eastern Slopes, including  Summit Coal Ltd.’s Mine 14 and Northback Holdings Corporation’s Grassy Mountain’s recent applications to the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER). AWA is concerned that Ministerial Order 002/2022, directing AER to implement a moratorium on new coal exploration and development in the Eastern Slopes is at risk of being violated.

Albertans have reiterated time and time again that coal mining is an inappropriate land-use for the sensitive and essential environments within the Eastern Slopes. The Eastern Slopes are the backbone of Alberta’s wilderness. They encompass the vital headwaters of the North Saskatchewan, South Saskatchewan, Red Deer and Oldman rivers, provide essential habitat for wildlife and species at risk, and support the recreational pursuits and livelihoods of many. Applications and plans for coal mining exploration and development threaten the ecological integrity of Alberta’s Eastern Slopes.

Read AWA’s full letter here.

• Coal
• Grassy Mountain Blog
• Headwaters
• Rocky Mountain and Foothills Forests

Australian company Benga Mining Ltd. of the proposed (and infamous) Grassy Mountain Coal Mine is back, rebranded as the Northback Holdings Corporation. The company has applied to the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) for a deep drilling permit and temporary water diversion license to explore the Grassy Mountain coal deposit.

The Grassy Mountain Coal Mine had been jointly rejected by the federal and provincial governments because of significant adverse environmental impacts in 2021. AER said the project was “not in the public interest.” Alberta’s top courts dismissed all of Benga’s appeals. Finally, there is a moratorium on all new coal development and exploration in the Eastern Slopes.

Northback shouldn’t be allowed to do any exploratory coal work. Coal mining has been deemed resoundingly inappropriate for the region.

Exploratory work is also not without its own environmental impacts and liabilities;

• Logging is required to create access roads, fragmenting sensitive habitat.
• Shallow montane soil becomes exposed, leading to erosion and colonization by invasive species.
• Sediment washes into rivers and creeks during precipitation events, negatively impacting aquatic habitat and watershed health.
• Reclamation is costly and poorly enforced.

AWA submitted a statement of concern outlining these concerns and more to the Alberta Energy Regulator on September 21, 2023. The full statement can be read here.

• Coal
• Grassy Mountain Blog
• Headwaters

Who are Benga Mining, Riversdale Resources, and Hancock Prospecting Pty Ltd? These are the three Australian companies aspiring to exploit the coal of Grassy Mountain. Read more »

• Coal
• Grassy Mountain Blog

“Adequacy” is a recurring theme in the Grassy Mountain Coal Project Joint Review Panel hearing. Adequacy refers to the substance of Benga Mining Ltd.’s impact assessment. It refers to whether the company has done a good job in detailing the wide range of impacts its project will have; it refers to the company’s details about how it will address those impacts. Read more »

• Coal
• Grassy Mountain Blog

             My second post to this blog noted that Benga promises to deliver $1.7 billion in royalties and taxes to the provincial and federal governments. Here I analyze the royalties component. The analysis leaves me puzzled and unconvinced. I simply cannot see how Benga arrives at its conclusion that, on average, Alberta will collect $30 million in royalties from this mining venture Read more »

• Coal
• Grassy Mountain Blog

            Socio-economics. Before the Joint Review Panel began its Grassy Mountain hearing, I speculated that the socio-economic effects of Benga Mining’s proposal to exploit metallurgical coal would be the company’s strongest suit. Given the range of serious environmental questions that will be raised in the hearing, I thought Benga had to make a strong case for the positive socio-economic effects its ambitions would have for the people in the Crowsnest, for Albertans, and for Canadians. But a strong case only can be built on a foundation of favourable markets for coking coal. If Benga builds its Field of Dreams, will the global coking coal market be strong enough to realize the company’s financial promises?

Read more »

• Coal
• Grassy Mountain Blog

The transcripts for the first four days of the JRP hearing totaled more than 900 pages, the product of approximately seven hours a day of presentations and questioning. Here, I’ll identify several noteworthy themes animating the opening remarks of Benga Mining, federal government departments, and intervening organizations and individuals (it’s noteworthy that no provincial department offered such remarks). Read more »

• Coal
• Grassy Mountain Blog