Jun 17 2021 — Bob Weber, The Canadian Press — A joint federal-provincial review has denied an application for an open-pit coal mine in Alberta's Rocky Mountains, saying its impacts on the environment and Indigenous rights aren't worth the economic benefits it would bring. In its 680-page report released Thursday, the panel questioned the ability of Benga Mining, owned by Riversdale Resources, to control the […]
Jun 16 2021 — Bob Weber, The Canadian Press — The federal government will step in to conduct an environmental review of any new coal project that could possibly release the contaminant selenium. The decision, announced Wednesday, will capture any proposals that emerge from the eight steelmaking coal exploration projects in Alberta's Rocky Mountain foothills, said federal Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson. "For those projects that […]
Jun 15 2021 — Bob Weber, The Canadian Press — New coal mines in Alberta's Rocky Mountain foothills would create more environmental problems than economic benefits, a lengthy new study has concluded. "The best available information indicates that the magnitude of long-term liabilities to water resources ... are likely to exceed any short-term economic benefits," says the report from the Alces Group, an ecological consulting […]
Jun 11 2021 — Bob Weber, The Canadian Press — The federal government is making it more difficult to develop thermal coal in Canada with a new policy that says all such mines create "unacceptable environmental effects." The move erects another roadblock for Coalspur Mines and its proposed Vista mine expansion in Alberta, the only such mine in Canada currently before regulators. Federal Environment Minister […]
Jun 10 2021 — Bob Weber, The Canadian Press — EDMONTON — Alberta's auditor general is criticizing the government for failing to fix problems pointed out six years ago in a program that's supposed to guarantee coal and oilsands mines clean up after themselves. Doug Wylie says there's so much confusion over who's responsible for the government's own contaminated sites that there's no stable funding […]
Jun 10 2021 — Bob Weber, The Canadian Press — EDMONTON — The federal and Alberta governments have signed an agreement with a company that could lead to a $1.3 billion hydrogen plant being built in Edmonton. Two federal ministers, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney and Edmonton mayor Don Iveson announced Wednesday a memorandum of understanding with Air Products Canada to build the plant, which would […]
Jun 4 2021 — Bob Weber, The Canadian Press — Canada could cut its current greenhouse gas emissions by more than one-tenth by making better use of its vast forests, prairies and wetlands, says a report by more than three dozen scientists. The researchers from universities, governments and environmental groups say a good portion of those emissions cuts could be made for under $50 a […]
May 31 2021 — Bob Weber, The Canadian Press — EDMONTON — A public consultation committee on coal mining in the Rocky Mountains will consider why Albertans' level of trust in the province's regulatory bodies is so low, the panel's head said Monday.In an hour-long phone-in show on CBC Radio, Ron Wallace said he's concerned by results of a recent government survey on coal mining. […]
May 28 2021 — Bob Weber, The Canadian Press — Two different grizzly bears were behind a pair of fatal attacks in the Alberta foothills, a provincial wildlife officer said Friday. Paul Frame said DNA evidence shows the bear that killed a woman Tuesday was not the same bear that attacked a man on May 4. "This is an unrelated incident," he said. The woman […]
May 27 2021 — Bob Weber, The Canadian Press — EDMONTON — There's lots of life in Alberta's conventional oil industry and plenty of resources and political will to clean up the mess it leaves behind, says the head of the province's energy regulator. "Will there be halcyon-days growth in the sector? Probably not," said Alberta Energy Regulator president Laurie Pushor. "We still see an […]
May 26 2021 — Bob Weber, The Canadian Press — More damaging earthquakes can be expected more often in northern British Columbia as fracking oil and gas wells increases pressure underground, says newly published research. "It makes earthquakes more common and it makes larger ones more common," said Allan Chapman, an independent researcher and formerly senior scientist with the B.C. Oil and Gas Commission. "There […]
May 23 2021 — Bob Weber, The Canadian Press — Coal mines can be environmentally safe and can become useful, enjoyable landscapes when the seam runs out, say scientists working with industry. But they admit that there are risks and costs, and urge communities and miners to work together from the start to understand and minimize them. "There's a lot of mitigative measures you can […]
May 19 2021 — Bob Weber, The Canadian Press — A coal company is asking Federal Court this week to toss out a decision by Canada's environment minister that a proposed Alberta mine expansion should get a full federal environmental review. Coalspur Mines argues the decision was based on an unfair assumption that two separate projects are related and should be considered together. It says […]
May 18 2021 — Bob Weber, The Canadian Press — EDMONTON — Early results from a provincial survey on coal mining in the Rocky Mountains show Albertans have major concerns about expanding the industry. "More than 90 per cent of respondents felt there are areas of the province that are not appropriate for coal exploration and development," say the survey results released late Monday. Albertans […]
May 18 2021 — Bob Weber, The Canadian Press — Environmentalists say a report from the International Energy Agency that concludes investment in new fossil fuel sources must end if the world is to meet its climate goals has a strong message for Canada, but industry and government say the goal is too ambitious. "We now have an analysis from the most authoritative energy body […]