Lethbridge MLAs weigh in on Coal Policy survey results
By Tim Kalinowski on May 21, 2021.
LETHBRIDGE HERALDtkalinowski@lethbridgeherald.com
Lethbridge MLAs are saying the Alberta government’s Coal Policy survey results released this week should provide food for thought about how and where to appropriately develop coal in the province, and reveal a strong concern about coal mining from southern Albertans in particular.
“Alberta’s government is committed to ensuring that our approach to sensitive topics, such as the long-term approach our province will take towards coal development, is informed by public consultation and addresses the legitimate concerns raised by Albertans,” says Lethbridge-East MLA Nathan Neudorf in a statement provided to The Herald on the survey results. “As is evident by the nearly 25,000 responses received through our recent online Coal Policy Survey, this remains an issue that Albertans are clearly passionate about.
“Coal development is a very real issue for Lethbridge-East,” he later concedes, “as we only live a short drive away from our beautiful Eastern Slopes. That’s why I am proud to see our government taking time to do the difficult but necessary work of gathering feedback from my constituents and other residents of communities across the province to inform the future of coal development in Alberta.”
“It was an extraordinary result,” agreed Lethbridge-West MLA Shannon Phillips at a media event held earlier this week to discuss the survey results. “In fact, eighty-two per cent of Albertans are familiar with the 1976 Coal Policy. That is the 45-year-old policy that protected our Rockies from strip mining. Ninety per cent of people who participated believe that areas that were previously protected, that means the Rockies, the Foothills, wildlife corridors, areas near watersheds, ecologically sensitive areas, areas close to ranchers and farms, should be protected, and are not appropriate for coal exploration and development.”
Other interesting results from the survey show that environmental concerns about potential coal mining in the Eastern Slopes were the main issue for Albertans, and 64 per cent of respondents did not feel the economic benefits of coal mining were of any value to them in their considerations. Over half the survey respondents were from southern Alberta in the lands which would be most heavily impacted by new coal developments.
Phillips said the survey results should have come as no surprise to the UCP government given the public backlash they have been experiencing this past year after unilaterally rescinding the 1976 Coal Policy last May without prior public consultation.
“I know they have heard a lot from Albertans, but they have not yet really demonstrated they are actually listening to Albertans,” Phillips said. “And, of course, it has been almost a year since they quietly rescinded the 1976 Coal Policy via press release on the Friday before the May long weekend last year.
Since then, we have heard from thousands of people. I personally have heard from hundreds of my own constituents directly, and from people in Lethbridge-East as well. We have been hearing exactly what these survey results indicate.
“Albertans are worried about Jason Kenney and the UCP’s plan to hand over previously protected areas to strip mining in our headwaters,” she concluded.
Neudorf says the survey, in his mind, reflects serious concerns that need to be addressed in how to develop coal mines in a socially and environmentally responsible way.
“Alberta has a long and proud history of responsible resource development that has fuelled the economy of our province and our country,” Neudorf states. “Environmental considerations are becoming an increasingly important factor for job creators looking for new jurisdictions for investment, and, unlike our international competitors, Alberta is demonstrating that responsible stewardship of the land is something that our government and public take seriously.
“The survey provided valuable information and guidance for the Coal Policy Committee to consider as they proceed through the engagement process,” he adds. “It is ultimately the committee’s responsibility to gather input from Albertans, which will inform their recommendations in the final report.”
Phillips said she too is cognizant of the need for responsible economic development in Alberta, but felt the survey definitively emphasized that Albertans are not in favour of coal mining as a significant driver of that development.
“There is no question Albertans are worried about jobs and economic development in southern Alberta,” Phillips conceded, “but what I hear over and over again is these plans to strip mine the mountains and really dedicate a lot of our water volumes to this particular activity results in very few jobs, very few royalty revenues, very few other tax revenues to the two or three municipalities that might be affected by this. And what it does is put at risk jobs and economic development that we have already (in agriculture and food processing).
“It can’t put the jobs we already have at risk, and I think that is what Albertans are objecting to.”
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Re: the Neudorf comment re: the now public consultation is a glaring reminder that this was not done in the first place.
Certainly, it is clear that the priceless cost of the negative effects of open-pit coal mining far exceeds any financial benefit to Albertans. Myself, being Dutch, let alone any other’s conscious thought, knows, that open-pit coal mining would not be a financial savior for us. What it would do is the catering by certain politicians to these iffy, foreign open-pit coal mining corporations, cheap land leases, inadequate regulations and low royalty rates.
The majority of us Albertans, again, do not, want, any, open-pit coal mining, or any other coal activity, at all. Coal and UCP claims re: safe coal extraction, cannot, be trusted.
Critical thinking is ….well …critical. Especially during these times of unprecedented uncertainty and provincial and federal governments overstepping boundaries like never before. Mr. Neudorf I truly dislike giving you such a hard time ( and the UCP, for that matter) I really wish there was something you and or your party colleagues said that I could feel was believable and that I could put some hope, trust and belief in. Sadly; I am still waiting for that to happen. It took me awhile to learn to be a critical thinker and to read between the lines, however after years of witnessing results of political decisions and democracy appearing to evaporate I try to do my best to question everything and to simply ask “why” to everything spoken in particular by politicians today.
Some how your comments do not provide a great deal of reassurance either you or the UCP are listening to the people regarding Coal Mining in the Eastern Slopes of the Rockies. Yes it is blatantly obvious there is a need for responsible economic development in Alberta. That is not new, it is no brainer. To the best of my knowledge the PC party spoke about the need for economic diversification for 40 years. While they recognized the need the problem was/is the lack of follow through or action. They talked a good game.
Pardon me and with all due respect I am going to quote your comments in this article.
“Alberta’s government is committed to ensuring that our approach to sensitive topics, such as the long-term approach our province will take towards coal development, is informed by public consultation and addresses the legitimate concerns raised by Albertans, That’s why I am proud to see our government taking time to do the difficult but necessary work of gathering feedback from my constituents and other residents of communities across the province to inform the future of coal development in Alberta.”
“The survey provided valuable information and guidance for the Coal Policy Committee to consider as they proceed through the engagement process,” he adds. “It is ultimately the committee’s responsibility to gather input from Albertans, which will inform their recommendations in the final report.”
Excuse me ; but to the best of my recollection; the UCP part was pulled kicking and screaming into a “public consultation” process after the people demanded it and the UCP could no longer ignore these demands because their poll numbers were dropping like crazy and back room MLA’s recognized their re-election was at significant risk if they did not placate the citizenry somehow.
”Neudorf says the survey, in his mind, reflects serious concerns that need to be addressed in how to develop coal mines in a socially and environmentally responsible way.” Reading between the line that statement sounds like coal mining will continue to go ahead regardless of whether the majority of Alberta do not want it. I truly am curious and wish someone could / would be able to define how Coal Mining can be developed in a socially and environmentally responsible way. Especially when It appears after generation of coal mining , there is not a Coal Mine on the planet that has learned how to stop Selenium from leaching into the water supply. “Neudorf says the survey, in his mind, reflects serious concerns that need to be addressed in how to develop coal mines in a socially and environmentally responsible way._
“Alberta has a long and proud history of responsible resource development that has fuelled the economy of our province and our country,” Neudorf states. “Environmental considerations are becoming an increasingly important factor for job creators looking for new jurisdictions for investment, and, unlike our international competitors, Alberta is demonstrating that responsible stewardship of the land is something that our government and public take seriously.
I am sorry but; the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) does not have a very positive reputation for efficiency. I am wondering if either you or the AER would/could be brave enough to publicly disclose a history of their past rulings. In addition; I am sorry I am forced to remind you; the deal with the Australian Mining companies was done (or at least favorably discussed) long before it was made public to Albertans.
I am hoping as many people as possible will watch the documentary; THE NEW CORPORATIONTHE UNFORTUNATELY NECESSARY SEQUEL ( to the first documentary made in 2004) . This is a Canadian Documentary and is excellent. Specifically they talk about Coal Mining in Australia, how Australian Coal Mining Corporations have jumped into bed with Australian Government and now control the government and how on Indigenous tribe fought a Coal Mining company and won. This documentary is free on Crave TV and on You Tube for a fee. Please , Please Please watch it.
https://thenewcorporation.movie
”Phillips said she too is cognizant of the need for responsible economic development in Alberta, but felt the survey definitively emphasized that Albertans are not in favour of coal mining as a significant driver of that development”
True so True. The survey has shown the majority of Albertans are simply not in favor of Coal Mining in the Eastern Rockies Period.
Thank you for your time and attention to this critical matter.
Respectfully,
Les Elford