Water For Food’s open letter to Energy Minister Brian Jean

By Lethbridge Herald on January 23, 2025.

Chris Spearman – WATER FOR FOOD

Good Day Minister Jean,

Apparently, our Alberta government has little interest in the well-being of southwestern Alberta.

As you stated in February 2021 in your advice to then Premier Jason Kenney, the Government’s inability to understand us is at the root of the problem.

We are still deeply committed to protecting our wilderness and our water, as you also correctly pointed out at that time.

What this government fails to understand are the substantial risks created by coal mining to other sectors of the economy in our region.

Coal mines consume large volumes of water before it gets to the Oldman River. We are at risk each year of water shortages. What entities will lose their access to water when coal mines begin to operate?

Access roads, mine related activities including dig and over burden sites remove the areas that generate clean water which refills springs and streams, further lessening available water downstream.

Southern Alberta is water poor. We are currently in a drought cycle but even in good years almost all our available water is allocated. Southern Alberta is not like B.C. with many water sources.

Water now seems to be traded as a commodity. That is frightening to many but it tells us that our governments and our leaders should be laser focussed on protecting our water, especially in one of the driest areas of the country.

The Alberta Auditor General‘s Report on Surface Water Management, released in July 2024 concluded that Alberta lacks effective processes to manage surface water, allocation and use. And public reporting on surface water and surface water management is lacking.

The Oldman River basin is home to a multi-billion-dollar integrated agriculture economy that has developed and grown over many decades. Our economy is based primarily on agriculture and clean water is essential to our economy.

Our economy is comprised of farmers, irrigators, ranchers, intensive livestock operators and internationally renowned food processors with names such as McCains, Cavendish, Richardson’s, Pepsi Frito-Lay and others. We have more than 25 international scale exporters of food products who are customers of our farmers and ranchers. One, McCain’s is just opening a $450M expansion employing 250 more workers. Thousands of significant growing operations form just one other part.

The Oldman River basin is home to two thirds of Canada’s irrigated agriculture.

As the Joint Federal-Provincial Review Panel concluded in 2021, there will be concerning levels of Selenium and other toxins in the Oldman River all the way through the Oldman Reservoir from the Grassy Mine alone. And, that the benefits of limited life coal mines do not outweigh the known impacts and risks of other dangers. 

Our Agri-food economy has evolved over more than seven decades. The Grassy Mountain coal project and just 400 jobs have an expected life of maybe 25 years.

Alberta stock grower advisor and biologist Lee Eddy has written extensively about the negative impact of selenium on agricultural products. That the mines, however much selenium is removed, will leach selenium during, and for decades after; and in this environment it will dangerously bioaccumulate. 

Have you considered his work?

The five science-based studies that Environment Minister Rebecca Schulz refers to publicly confirm that our concerns about selenium are valid. 

Worse they confirm that selenium continues to negatively impact water beyond safe levels, many years after coal mines have ceased operating. Teck/Glencore’s definitive full-scale test of the best, latest selenium treatment method shows very significant selenium will still flow into the watershed. Have you read these?

We only need to look to the neighbouring Elk River Valley to see how coal mines and selenium have rendered water unusable for municipal water treatment plants to create potable water for use in drinking, cooking and food processing. Municipal water treatment plant operators know of no known technology to remove selenium when it exceeds acceptable levels.

Have you considered what alternative water sources you might access to supply safe treatable water for the 200,000 residents of the Oldman River basin, if selenium levels in the Oldman River exceed safe levels? What will occur when irrigation is curtailed? 

What is your backup plan and alternative source of treatable water?

Your anticipated answer: “But our new“Modernization Initiative“ (CIMI) is the full answer to these concerns“. It is not. 

Your ambiguous wording allows coal mining either as long as it uses the best technology… or using high wall automated underground. 

Sir, that is ambiguous. Even if high wall, that is open pit under another name. Even underground mining leaches selenium. 

Please also read/ listen/make public, the “Five Papers“ and the scientific and engineering information already within your and Minister Schulz‘ departments. 

Stop burying the science whilst green lighting mines and making policy on the fly.

The law suits filed in the state of Montana are a clear indication this scenario is entirely possible. 

The Joint Review Panel found negative, harmful effects very far downstream of the proposed Grassy Mine (please read the: “Surface Water Quality“ section). Animal health and ag-foods are seriously compromised by selenium bioaccumulation. It occurs most intensively where selenium is in waterways adjacent to intensive irrigation and feedlot operations.

The Oldman River basin has both.

Our Alberta government seems incapable of making rationale decisions on economic development.

Our agrifood economy has grown because growth enhanced existing resources, respected the environment and benefited many in the region.

Coal Development is harmful to the environment and, based on numerous examples harms other economic development such as agriculture.

Albertans have already told our government that coal mining on the eastern slopes is not acceptable.

They are ready to do that again.

Why aren‘t you listening?

In conclusion, is the government of Alberta prepared to sacrifice the multi billion dollar integrated Agrifood economy of southwestern Alberta for a few coal mines with a limited life?

As the joint federal provincial panel concluded in 2021, open pit coal mines like Grassy Mountain are just not worth the risk.

Going ahead with Grassy Mountain does not just carry a “risk” of negative outcomes. It’s a guarantee of catastrophe. The only unknown is how widespread, extensive, and long-lasting this catastrophe will be.

Chris Spearman is a former Lethbridge mayor and a spokesperson for the Water For Food Group