Jan. 22, 2025

The mountains are calling (for your help!)

Hello Wild Horizoners,

We can't sugar coat this: it was bad news for the Eastern Slopes on Monday. The Alberta Minister of Energy and Minerals Brian Jean removed the ban on all new coal exploration and development in the Eastern Slopes.

This means that coal companies with approved permits, or those that were in the process of applying for approvals a few years ago — before being put on pause by the government after large public outcry — can now continue their projects. The rescindment of the coal moratorium in the Eastern Slopes was done quietly last week, in the midst of a public hearing for Northback’s proposal for coal exploration on Grassy Mountain. Yet, it was not made public anywhere online until Jan. 20. To read a more thorough explanation of what this all means, read AWA's Kennedy Halvorson post on our website about it here.

Bottom line: coal is a major threat to our ecosystems, headwaters and all of us. It's a threat to the Eastern Slopes — Alberta and Canada's treasure. We need all hands on deck to send a message back to the government OPPOSING this decision.

We have two options: Call Minister Jean directly (and as often as you can) at 780-427-8050. We also have a letter template available on our website. Click the image below or here to send yours. If you'd also like to take part in an upcoming day of action against coal, please respond to this email.

Albertans have rallied together to defend the Eastern Slopes successfully before and we'll do it again.

Here are other items you should know:

• Please join us for two winter adventures in February: family skating and a full-moon hike!
• We're hosting a trivia night at Eighty-Eight Brewing Co. Sign up is now open, get your spot while you can.
• AWA is growing again: Get to know our new staff member and our intern.
• Making a splash: Conservation specialists Ruiping Luo and Phillip Meintzer each wrote opinion pieces about their files and were published in the Calgary Herald and the Edmonton Journal.

More from our conservation specialists

• Northback confirms that this exploration proposal is in fact not just to gather more data, as previously asserted by the proponents, but part of the same project as the previous Grassy Mountain proposals.
• Northback reveals it is in the midst of preparing new applications for a commercial coal mine.
• Northback has not completed a detailed hydrological assessment for the purposes of this program and does not know the underlying geology or the hydrogeological characteristics, factors such as depth to groundwater, hydraulic conductivity.
• The locations that Northback intends to drill on are not all within the legacy mine disturbance, but on land used for other purposes like cattle grazing and logging.
• It’s also confirmed that Northback and predecessors are past the AER’s deadlines to fulfill all the reclamation requirements for previous exploration programs, having yet to receive the necessary certifications from the AER.
• Northback has repeatedly asserted to local communities and affected parties that should these applications be approved, it will reclaim Grassy Mountain. However, Northback notes it is not currently bound by the regulator to reclaim any legacy disturbance.

• Agricultural productivity must be maintained. For all Class 1 and 2 lands, and Class 3 lands in certain municipalities, an “agricultural impact assessment” will be conducted, and “coexistence” must be demonstrated. 
• According to the regulation, coexistence “means the concurrent use of land for a wind power plant or solar power plant and agricultural production.” It does not state how much of the original agricultural productivity must remain for “coexistence.”   
• A report must be submitted after the power plant (wind or solar generator) starts operating to confirm “coexistence.” 
• Irrigability assessments can be “required by the Commission.” The conditions that could require an irrigability assessment are not provided.  
• Wind turbines cannot be built in a buffer zone. Turbines need to undergo a “visual impact assessment” in designated zones. These buffer zones and visual impact assessment zones cover roughly 36 percent of the province.  

Introducing more new staff!

habitat and species loss accelerated. I became involved with local environmental advocacy groups as a way to address my growing concern over these issues. I have a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Environmental Studies in Geography. Through academia, I learned how important it is to highlight marginalized voices within the conservation movement in order to move forward in a way that is sustainable, equitable, and takes into account nature's inherent value.

Previously, I have supported projects that assess how ecosystems in boreal, grassland, and wetland areas respond to landscape disturbances and renewable energy development. In the boreal forest, I completed fieldwork to help study and map the impact of seismic lines. Following this, I worked in Alberta’s grasslands to examine the effects of renewable energy development on bird mortality rates, as well as populations of species at risk. One of the most rewarding parts of fieldwork for me was unexpected discoveries in the ecosystems I visited- carnivorous bladderworts below the water in peatlands, Kangaroo Rat burrows in the sand dunes of eastern Alberta, or an emergence of Plains Spadefoot Toads after a heavy rain.

Although I enjoyed my time in the field, my passion lies in conservation advocacy and taking action on local environmental issues. I am very excited about joining AWA and connecting to a community of people who are passionate about protecting our wild spaces.

I have always liked to challenge myself and have approached projects that would help me deep-dive into subjects I’m interested in. As a research assistant, I did lab procedures to find out how the composition of the natural and artificial soil for urban purposes would affect its ecosystem services and properties like nutrients flow, amount of microorganisms through soil respiration measurements, chlorophyll levels on lavender growing on them, etc. Aside from that, I’ve been a teacher assistant for several classes like “Forest Soil and Hydrology,” “Introduction to the Environmental and Natural Resources Economy” and “Forest Sampling and Dynamics.” As well, I’ve gotten into volunteering programs, cleaning coastlines and building agricultural structures in the Chilean countryside. This experience helped me to engage in environmental topics, being capable of going deeper into the theory and knowing how it directly affects people who live near to it.

I’m really excited about this opportunity to be part of a team such as AWA, where I expect to learn a lot from them and from Canada’s natural resources, so I could apply my background to help promote a sustainable way of forest managing so the ecosystems could be properly protected and conserved.

Upcoming Events!

Registration for trivia is now open! We have limited spots, so snag yours while you can.

📣AWA in the News📣

ST ALBERT GAZETTE



Alberta government lifts coal mining moratorium, critics say it's 'open season'

CALGARY HERALD

OPINION: No data to back up province's expansion of hunting

EDMONTON JOURNAL

OPINION: Alberta needs an energy regulator that puts people before profits

Dedicated to the conservation of wilderness and completion of a protected areas network, AWA inspires communities to care for Alberta's wild spaces through awareness and action.

We live and work across the traditional lands of the First Nations and Métis peoples of Alberta, including Treaties 4, 6, 7, 8 and 10. We express gratitude and respect for these lands and commit to advancing reconciliation with Indigenous peoples to ensure justice, equality, and sustainability for all people and the natural world we rely on.

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