Coal Mine Proposal For Crowsnest Area

[DonAndersen]

Info package here

 

http://www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca/050/details-eng.cfm?evaluation=80101

 

The link above will not work - try this one

 

http://www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca/050/details-eng.cfm?evaluation=80101

[Taco]

Thanks Don

 

They have a comment headed they're way, I believe Gold Creek holds the last remnant of pure strains in the entire Crowsnest River system.

[BurningChrome]

Huh, I thought they already started on Grassy Mountain. There used to be a 4x4 trail going up the front of it but they've had it blocked off since last summer and when we were in the area in October they had put up tons of private property/no trespassing signs along the road in by the golf course. You could also see that they had already started work on top of Grassy, had lots of big machinery in there, and were hauling boulders out.

 

For anyone interested, here's the exact site:

https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.683728,-114.4189882,314m/data=!3m1!1e3

 

It was already mined previously then abandoned. You can even see the switchbacks that lead up the mountain where you can get an incredible view.

 

Here's the existing mining site from two years ago:

 

 

[albertatrout]

I'm watching this one closely. Hoping after they re-mine that area and reclaim it properly they head over towards Tent Mountain and re-mine that disaster zone. Maybe potential for an isolated end-pit lake with self-sustaining population of pure strain westslope cutthroats. Other mines have had incredible success with that reclamation strategy for native fish species. I would think they will not touch existing fish habitat but we better all be keeping an eye on it. The mud that flows off those old mines after a heavy rain is disgusting, would be nice to see it all capped and vegetated.

[WinstonConfluentus]

Work at the mine site began over a year ago with sample drilling, surface sampling and road work. Since that time, Blairmore Creek has run turbid at the slightest prompt. I have received anecdotal reports of earth moving near both Gold and Blairmore Creeks but have been unable to investigate further due to the high levels of security present. It is still uncertain if they truly intend to re-open the mine with some folks thinking this may be a case of financial smoke and mirrors. I do not have an opinion on this yet.

 

As far as the fishery goes, it could get ugly. Both Blairmore and Gold Creeks contain listed areas of critical habitat for Westslope Cutthroat Trout (WSCT), and do in fact have populations of pure-strain WSCT. Remarkably, most of the headwater creeks in the Upper Crowsnest River still hold pure-strain WSCT with critical habitat listed in Allison, Girardi and Star Creeks. Work is underway to sample the genetics in the other creeks. Most of these populations were protected by the results of glaciation, hanging valleys and the resultant waterfalls; I find this kinda cool as it was glacial process that brought the little fellows into Alberta from the Columbia at the end of the last Ice Age.

 

The big question is what will they be using as a water supply? Blairmore Creek runs through their property and near the proposed processing area so I imagine they will be looking to use this as the supply. How do you get a permit to destroy critical habitat? Teck has done great work on the BC side to try and reduce the toxicity of their outflow; in spite of millions of dollars and a state of the art plant, they killed a pile of fish last year when they started it up. Riversdale should be held to at least the same standard Teck is holding itself too. This one should get interesting.

[alan2]

It is surprising that any company is looking to bring a new coal mine onstream given the extremely low world price of coal.

 

There have been producing coal mines in NE B.C that have shut down recently as it's not worth producing at those low prices. And there is no sign that prices will rise anytime soon. I think Australia is flooding the market and unless China was to need way more coal than at present, (unlikely as growth is slowing there) prices might not rebound anytime soon. Whether they continue you to pursue this or not would seem to hinge on prices rebounding but that's only if logic prevails.

[albertatrout]

It is surprising that any company is looking to bring a new coal mine onstream given the extremely low world price of coal.

 

There have been producing coal mines in NE B.C that have shut down recently as it's not worth producing at those low prices. And there is no sign that prices will rise anytime soon. I think Australia is flooding the market and unless China was to need way more coal than at present, (unlikely as growth is slowing there) prices might not rebound anytime soon. Whether they continue you to pursue this or not would seem to hinge on prices rebounding but that's only if logic prevails.

I think that's key, seeing anything for new development in the next while would be a surprise based on current markets. I would think companies would be hesitant after seeing Coalspur (thermal coal) get crushed but only time will tell.

[DonAndersen]

Winston c....

 

See page 62 of http://www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca/050/documents/p80101/101323E.pdf

 

Some tributaries of Blairmore Creek are being moved to accommodate spoil pile.

 

regards,

 

 

Don

[WinstonConfluentus]

Thanks for putting that up Don, it's good for all to see. The listed section of habitat is near the area they are looking at for the plant and I'll be up there catching what I can come opening day.

 

I am hoping to find money for private water sampling in the near future to insure things are attended to in the best way.

 

They are having an open house on April 22 at the Elk's hall in Blairmore from 2-7 with a presentation and Q&A to follow until 8:30. Might be a nice day to wet a line in the Crow.

[BowLurker]

Noticed this in the past posts, and wanted to flow an update. Did anyone hear anything since this post, or the following article? Seems a shame to let a foreign company destroy a legendary valley..again.

 

http://albertaventure.com/2016/09/case-coal-proposed-open-pit-mine-crowsnest-pass/

 

-M.

[WyomingGeorge]

Go fish the Michel. You'll be standing right beneath multiple working coal mines. You'll need to take care not to step on the trout, there are so many.

 

Coal is nearly ubiquitous in Alberta: it crumbles off eroding cutbanks and falls right into the streams. It's everywhere, including in the streambeds themselves. You can pick it up with your hands.

 

Stop being so scared of it. It's just rock. It's not mercury, arsenic or lead.

 

Coal mining, great fishing and cutthroat can all coexist.

[Dangus]

Well, it's not mercury, arsenic or lead--but it is selenium.

[Dangus]

http://ariverneversleeps.com/death-by-coal/

[professori]

Go fish the Michel. You'll be standing right beneath multiple working coal mines. You'll need to take care not to step on the trout, there are so many.

And following any heavy rain, the creek is covered in a noxious yellow foam and the fish won/t move to a fly for days following. Not only Michel, but the entire Elk system is suffering from selenium contamination.

[Flyfisher]

And following any heavy rain, the creek is covered in a noxious yellow foam and the fish won/t move to a fly for days following. Not only Michel, but the entire Elk system is suffering from selenium contamination.

 

Have never been witness to "noxious" yellow foam after heavy rain on the Michel. Been fishing there for 20 years.

 

Selenium levels are an issue in some parts of the Elk system, the most notable being the upper Fording where selenium levels have elevated to levels that have adversely affected juvenile westslope cutthroat. Naturally occurring elevated selenium levels in the Elk watershed are exacerbated by exposing the land where mining takes place to erosion. Selenium is transported over time into the water table. Who knows what the long term affects will be. I think WyomingGeorge is stretching things a bit when he says mining and healthy populations of trout can co-exist when referencing the Elk Valley and selenium, long term co-existence remains to be seen, especially in the face of even more development.

[professori]

Have never been witness to "noxious" yellow foam after heavy rain on the Michel. Been fishing there for 20 years.

Sorry you haven't. I have seen it on two separate occasions, once last August and also in July 2014. But then again I have only fished it for the past 10-11 years.

[TheGoldenSpruce]

In University, I wrote a paper focused on the impacts of increased selenium levels in the Elk River Valley. I tried to prove that increased selenium concentration has a negative impact on Elk River Valley Cutthroat. To be honest, I had a very hard time. I can't find my old paper, but I found this bit of research interesting.

 

'Despite these elevated egg Se concentrations, there was no significant effect on fertilization; time to hatch; percent hatch; or egg, larvae, and fry deformities or mortalities. Reproductive failure and embryonic terata have been reported at much lower egg Se concentrations in other fish species. The lack of any toxic response in this study may be due to an evolved tolerance to higher tissue Se concentrations in a population of fish living in a seleniferous river system.'

 

Essentially, the fish population in the Elk River system have adapted to increased selenium concentrations.

 

The studies did not state a specific threshold value for toxic selenium concentrations for the Elk River Valley Cutthroat population, nor was there a study on the long term impacts of increased selenium concentrations.

[WinstonConfluentus]

Well, I was going to paste a couple of links in here. but I seem unable. Google, "Elk Valley Water Quality Plan" for the current best information on the impact of Se in the Elk Valley. The impacts are real and quantifiable. Beyond the Elk, the US EPA keeps an eye on water quality in the system as well and has provided some of the impetus to attend to this issue.

Up to date information regarding Grassy Mountain strip mine proposal can be found on my Facebook page, 'The Crowsnest Journal'. While Riversdale Resources remains stuck in their inability/unwillingness to provide a cogent and complete EIA, the threat to both Gold Creek and Blairmore Creek remains very real. Daisy Creek to the north may also be impacted by changes to local hydrology. When and if they complete the EIA and the review processes is set, I'll let folks here know.

Best of the season All,

Kevin Turner, aka Winston Confluentus