Tuesday, February 9, 2021

Minister of Energy, Deputy House Leader
324 Legislature Building
10800 - 97 Avenue
Edmonton, AB  T5K 2B6

minister.energy@gov.ab.ca

 Dear Minister Savage,

 Re: Coal Policy Announcement Feb 8, 2021

 Livingstone Landowners Group (LLG) would like to thank you very much for re-instating the 1976 Coal Policy. We believe it is a necessary first step in ensuring that Albertans truly have a say in how the Province needs to protect the Eastern Slopes. It takes courage to admit to a mistake and LLG believes that you are listening and care about creating a future for the Eastern Slopes that Albertans clearly want.

 Having said that, we are convinced that open pit, strip, surface and Mountain Top Removal mining for coal should not occur along the southern Eastern Slopes. There is too great a risk to water, environment and protected species given there is no proven way to deal with the toxic waste, particularly selenium. We have limited water as it is and climate change is reducing what we will get in the future. In addition, there will be unavoidable, irreparable harm to treasured, iconic and heritage landscapes. The present destructive exploration activity should also cease immediately, either through the developers volunteer efforts or by government directives.

 We also believe it is important to not lose sight of the two mines in progress - Grassy Mountain and Tent Mountain.  We will continue to oppose these mines for the reasons outlined above.

 Our group would highly encourage the Government to ensure that all known facts associated with past (fully reclaimed or not) mines and proposed mines be fully disclosed, including all data related to Selenium data and studies, and made available so that consultations can occur on the basis of shared knowledge and facts. 

 LLG would welcome the opportunity to participate in the planned consultations. We are uniquely positioned to be a constructive party to this important process.  We have been actively involved in this issue for over a year, we co-sponsored the study by Dr. Brad Stelfox on cumulative effects of land use in Southern Alberta which led to the Alberta Land Stewardship Act (ALSA) and we invested innumerable person years of time and effort over many years in the South Saskatchewan Regional Plan (SSRP) consultations and more recently the Livingstone/ Porcupine Hills Area Planning.

 Thank you,

 Bill Trafford, President, Livingstone Landowners Group