Calgary encouraged to join call to halt coal exploration work

City council will discuss next Monday whether it will join calls on the provincial government to halt all coal exploration work along the eastern slopes of the Rockies.

A council committee was asked by the mayor of High River, Craig Snodgrass, to lend its support to communities fighting a provincial decision to rescind the 1976 coal policy.

The move is expected to open up areas in the eastern slopes of the Rockies for new open pit coal mine development.

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Snodgrass told council's utilities and corporate services committee on Wednesday that there isn't time to waste.

"This thing is moving at light speed right now," said Snodgrass.

The mayor told the committeethere could be mining developments on lands close to the HighwoodRiver upstream of High River.

Heasked thatCalgary city councilsupport arequest that the province halt work by mining companies.

"This is what I relayed to [Energy Minister Sonya]Savage's office this morning. Let's get that exploration stopped and then we can start discussing how to move forward with Class 2 lands and what that's going to look like," said Snodgrass.

Calgary not affected

The committee heard that the change in provincial policy will not result in any open pit mines along the Bow or Elbow river watersheds. Their headwaters are located in protected national park lands west of Calgary.

However, the city is a key water steward for the South Saskatchewan River basin, so it does have an interest in the matter.

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The chair of the committee, Coun. Ward Sutherland, said there may not be any imminent threats to the quality of Calgary's water.

But there's still value in supporting other municipalities who are unhappy with the province's decision to rescind the 1976 coal policy last June without notice.

"We're disappointed obviously," said Sutherland.

"There should have been consultation with all the municipalities, towns and villages. With this policy, to just rescind it and make that decision without the consultation, this is what's happening now."

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Supportive role

Sutherland said it's important for Calgary to support other communities because one day, it may need their help with an important issue.

Council will discuss on Monday whether to support a letter from High River's council calling for a stop work order on coal development.

Sutherland's committee also approved a recommendation calling for the city's administration to provide a detailed briefing on the coal issue to the committee this spring.

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