The petition by country singer and Alberta rancher Corb Lund to outlaw new coal mining in the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains is one step closer to being able to gather signatures.
Elections Alberta says the application by the country singer to petition the government to pass a prohibition on all new coal exploration or coal mining activities in the area has been approved.
Lund previously applied and got the official OK, but recent legislative changes from Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s government meant it was retroactively cancelled.
Lund, who lives in southern Alberta, has been a vocal opponent of coal mining, arguing mines threaten land and water in the area.
He still needs to complete some paperwork before Elections Alberta can issue a petition and he can start collecting names.
Lund will have four months to collect nearly 178,000 signatures, and if successful, the legislature would consider passing a coal mining ban or send it to a provincewide vote.