Environmental Geochemist and former Okotokian Colton Vessey is one of many to raise concerns over the proposed Grassy Mountain Coal Project in recent months.

Vessey studied his Bachelor's and Master's of Science in Geological Sciences at the University of Saskatchewan, is currently pursuing a Ph.D. at the University of Alberta, and is a registered Geoscientist-in-training with the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists.

Having grown up in the Foothills, his love of the outdoors and time spent in areas such as Crowsnest Pass have served as inspiration for his academic path, as well as his concern over the mining project.

In a letter recently submitted to the Government of Canada, Vessey outlined several possible negative implications the project may present for local habitats and waterways.

He says projects such as this often lead to contaminants making their way into nearby rivers and watersheds.

"There is potential for contaminant release, mainly selenium but also nitrate and sulphate which are two other contaminants seen in metallurgical mining systems. If there's a release of these contaminants into ecosystems, it could be damaging to fish populations, and is a potential human health risk as well."

He says this has been observed in Sparwood, British Columbia, where Teck Coal mining operations led to the contamination of the Elk River watershed, affecting the local bull and cutthroat trout population.

"This has impacted the water quality, fish habitats and populations directly. There have been issues with selenium contamination in the fish, which affects their reproduction and success in those environments, especially since they're considered endangered and protected species in Canada."

Contaminated flow from the Elk River has also made its way into neighbouring communities, and even parts of Montana.

These concerns echo those of many area residents, including the Livingstone Landowners Group, who have been vocal in their opposition to the project.

The site's proximity to the Oldman river system has been specifically highlighted by the group.

Another of their concerns is the project's effect on the local landscape.

Though Riversdale Resources and their subsidiary Benga Mining Limited have pointed to progressive reclamation efforts that would aim to restore natural habitats as the project is underway, Vessey says reclamation can take up significant time and money.

"You never really know the full potential for risks associate with mining until they're there. Quite frequently, reclamation goes over-budget. Two good examples of that are the Faro mine in the Yukon Territory and the Giant Mine in the Northwest Territories. They're not coal mines, but they are historic mines that are really large projects, and environmental reclamation will be going on there for a very long time."

He says the potential cost of that remediation may negate the economic benefits the project would present.

Vessey also addressed the decision on the part of the UCP government to rescind the decades-old Coal Policy Act that prevented open-pit coal mining since its introduction.

"These regulatory restrictions were originally brought about by the honourable Peter Lougheed, who had the foresight to protect Alberta’s iconic Rocky Mountain and Foothills landscapes through the 1976 Coal Policy Act. However, Jason Kenney’s government swiftly dismantled this key policy (Nikiforuk, 2020): these types of politics unfortunately breed distrust and only hinders progress."

To view his comment submitted to the Government of Canada, click here.

For more information on the project, click here to view its page on the Government of Canada website.

Click here to view Riversdale Resources' page on the project.

 

Related stories:

Local Ranchers Fighting Province Over Proposed Coal Mines

Opposition To Proposed Coal Mines Grows

Alarm Growing Over Potential Coal Mines

Livingstone Landowners To Present At Coal Mine Hearing

Livingstone Landowners Battle Against Mine

 

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