Controversy over Crowsnest Pass coal mining project continues [Video]

Northback Holdings’ Grassy Mountain coal mining project has been a controversial topic in Alberta for years. One side argues it would provide a much-needed economic boost in the area, while others fear it would do irreparable harm to the Oldman watershed.

Rina Blacklaws, spokesperson for Northback Holdings, says the project would be different from previous legacy mining projects.

“The way that mining has been done in the past is not the way mining will be done today,” said Blacklaws. “We know better. We can manage selenium effectively through a number of different ways, including wetlands, saturated backfill zones, and active water treatment plants.”

But some southern Alberta landowners are suspicious of these promises, and don’t want their land touched.

Corb Lund, a well-known local musician, says he was brought into the “coal fight” by generational ranching families, including his own, who felt threatened by potentially losing their properties to open …