Protest over Grassy Mountain coal mine approval in southern Alberta

Days after the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) approved a controversial exploratory coal mining project in the Rocky Mountains, concerned residents protested in the Crowsnest Pass to voice their displeasure.

The demonstration was organized by the Defenders of the Eastern Slopes (DOES). Members of the group say the idea behind the gathering was to inform the government of the outrage and fear some residents are feeling about the Grassy Mountain approval.

“This is a peaceful demonstration, a rally, to tell the government that we will not put up with this nonsense of coal mining in the Rockies,” said Riesah Prock, a volunteer with DOES.

She says she isn’t confident the Alberta government will listen, but she hopes fellow Albertans will start to voice their opinions as well.

“I know, from personal experience, what pollution does.

“We can’t afford it. People have to pay attention and wake up.”

The primary concern of those protesting was the safety and longevity of the water supply.

“All you have to do is look over the mountains to the west where open pit coal mining has been going on for decades,” said Mike Judd, another volunteer with DOES.

“They have a tremendous problem with their rivers with selenium contamination. We don’t need that here.”

He says endangered animals will be at an even greater risk if the project goes ahead.

“This is your wonderful landscape and it’s about to be compromised from Grassy Mountain to Grande Cache with open pit coal mines and it will ruin forever your watersheds.”

However, not everyone is against the coal mining project. Joe Goodwin has worked in the coal industry for 20 years and he says modern technology and practices keep everything clean and safe.

“The reality of it is, the water in the Elk Valley is some of the most pristine in Western Canada. The fishing is some of the best in Western Canada. The business that we conduct in the Rocky Mountains, as far as mining goes, has come a real long way even in the 20 years since I started working there.”

Goodwin says the Crowsnest Pass wouldn’t be the beautiful vacation and tourist destination it is today without mining.

“Our community wouldn’t be here without mining and forestry. All of the trails that everybody enjoys — hiking and running and quadding and snowmobiling wouldn’t be here without forestry and exploration and mining.”

The need for jobs isn’t lost on the protesters, but they feel miners need to adapt to other, newer practices.

“We all want jobs, good jobs to raise families, but some jobs are archaic and are quickly becoming obsolescent. The coal mining industry, I think, the window of opportunity for that is narrowing very rapidly,” said Ken Williams, another volunteer with DOES.

But Goodwin isn’t buying it.

“The fact of the matter is, there’s no jobs around here that pay as well as mining jobs do, aside from doctors and lawyers and things that are specialty professions that require quite a bit of education. For a person who gets out of high school and doesn’t want to pursue higher education, get a couple years of job experience and get out into the workforce and start working in the mines.

“That’s a person who’s making over $100,000 per year very early in life.”

He says the positives are significant and the jobs aren’t about to disappear.

“Mining is a good job — it pays well and has excellent benefits.”

Judd, however, says the demonstrators will not stop after the protest on Monday.

“Albertans don’t want coal mining on the eastern slopes and we’re going to fight back,” said Judd.

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