Canadian province Alberta backs down on opening Rockies to coal mines

[WINNIPEG] The Canadian province of Alberta on Monday reversed a decision that expanded access to the eastern Rocky Mountains for open-pit coal mines, but the government allowed exploration for six coal projects to continue in the area.

Premier Jason Kenney's United Conservative Party government has faced a backlash from ranchers and other Albertans who fear mines would contaminate groundwater, after revoking a policy last year that had limited access for coal miners.

The pandemic has hit Alberta's oil-and-gas-driven economy especially hard, and Mr Kenney's popularity has fallen in polls.

"We admit we didn't get this one right and Albertans sure let us know that," Alberta Energy Minister Sonya Savage said.

Exploration for six coal projects will continue, as they previously had been approved, she told an online news conference. They would face further regulatory review to begin production.

The Alberta government will consult the public as it develops a new coal policy and will approve no further coal exploration applications in eastern Rockies lands known as "Category 2" in the meantime, Ms Savage said. The government had earlier paused coal lease sales in the area.

The Grassy Mountain steel-making coal mine proposed by Riversdale Resources, a unit of Australia miner Hancock Prospecting, is unaffected, government officials said, as it involves a different category of land.

REUTERS