Corb Lund on Coal Policy Changes and our Eastern Slopes

[bessiedog]

If it’s discourse, then by all means

If it’s cause yer gonna slip more insults in then... hey go for it anyways if it makes you feel better.....

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by Talking moose

I think ole Edwin made a fortune there.

I know Edwin made a fortune there. I was his chief mechanic,/parts man/problem solver/bottle washer through the whole thing. LOL

He bought the majority of the houses and moved them to Alberta. And he did the tailings pond project. That is where he made the most money.

[1899b]

This subject is a very touchy and controversial one for sure. Industry creates jobs and a future for families but it always comes with a price. The last moose I got was in 2003 in what was always prime moose country north of Fort McMurray where I spent 33 years. Now that same spot is smack dab in the middle of an oil sands mine which was Albian but now
owned by CNUL.

Sure these companies have to do reforestation and what not but that is so laughable. The trees Syncrude Canada replanted on their site, are stunted. They definitely don’t show the 20 to 30 years of growth from when the planted them. Nutrients have been mined out of the ground. It will never go back to the way it was...

Same can be said at Coal Valley Mine where I also worked. Look at the height of those trees around Silkstone and Lovett lake where those pits were filled then stocked with fish.

[flyrodfisher]

Originally Posted by crazy_davey

Do you think a few fat old guys coming fishing in the summer a few times a season will do the trick?

Originally Posted by crazy_davey

Come on down in the summer

Shoulder to shoulder fat guys, fly fishing hoping to catch the next big one that hasn’t been caught yet, all while bitching about everything that’s wrong with our fisheries.

We've gone from a few old fat guys to a whole herd of them....lol
What's wrong with old fat guys?
Don't they contribute to the local economy?

[crazy_davey]

Originally Posted by flyrodfisher

We've gone from a few old fat guys to a whole herd of them....lol
What's wrong with old fat guys?
Don't they contribute to the local economy?

Sure, a tiny bit but not enough to keep businesses open, that’s obvious.

[goldscud]

Koocanusa exceeds Selenium levels.
The Selenium levels up by the mines is way over the limit of regulations:

But the selenium levels in Koocanusa are already bumping up against and exceeding the new levels, while the selenium levels in the Elk River directly below the mines far exceed them, reaching 70 micrograms per liter in some places with a rough average of 45 micrograms per liter.

Research shows that toxic pollutants like selenium can impact fish species’ skeletal structure, reproductive abilities and liver and muscle tissues.

Ric Hauer, a University of Montana professor of limnology, has been studying the transboundary water system for four decades, and said the issues brewing on the Elk River have the potential to be “a multi-millennial problem.”

“There is a whole-scale, ecosystem-level degradation taking place on the Elk River and this entire watershed is being poisoned by selenium,” he said. “It will persist for tens of generations. This is not something that 50 years from now we can simply clean up and wipe our hands from.”



https://elkvalleycoal.com/koocanusa-...nium-standard/

[crazy_davey]

Originally Posted by goldscud

Koocanusa exceeds Selenium levels.
The Selenium levels up by the mines is way over the limit of regulations:

But the selenium levels in Koocanusa are already bumping up against and exceeding the new levels, while the selenium levels in the Elk River directly below the mines far exceed them, reaching 70 micrograms per liter in some places with a rough average of 45 micrograms per liter.

Research shows that toxic pollutants like selenium can impact fish species’ skeletal structure, reproductive abilities and liver and muscle tissues.

Ric Hauer, a University of Montana professor of limnology, has been studying the transboundary water system for four decades, and said the issues brewing on the Elk River have the potential to be “a multi-millennial problem.”

“There is a whole-scale, ecosystem-level degradation taking place on the Elk River and this entire watershed is being poisoned by selenium,” he said. “It will persist for tens of generations. This is not something that 50 years from now we can simply clean up and wipe our hands from.”



https://elkvalleycoal.com/koocanusa-...nium-standard/

A lot has changed in the past five years. I know this for a fact.

[goldscud]

I know Teck is investing in technology looking to decrease Selenium. Good on them for finally doing the right thing.

The fact is, the Selenium cat is already out of the bag and into the watershed. In addition, there is no way to control the Selenium dispersed via the wind carrying selenium laden dust particles. I hear there is occasionally some wind in SW Alberta.
To believe that Teck has the capability to collect all the run-off water from snow melt and rain events coming off hundreds of hectares of disturbed mountains is just naïve.

Things will be no different on the Alberta side of the border.
What happens to all the disturbed ridges after the coal companies close up shop and move on? Selenium leaching will continue for decades, long after these companies are gone.

[Stinky Buffalo]

Maybe they can convince the companies that make selenium supplements to capture it and market it....

[jstubbs]

https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/4212...2020-12-15.pdf

Crown coal rights for 1.85m Hectares of land on the Eastern Slope...$66,000 was what we got out of it. Can’t wait to get our 1% on whatever they extract as well... if they extract $3bln worth of coal, we could pay for the AB war room!

Ok and we get 200 jobs. Great work if you can get it.

I’m not wholly against resource extraction by any means but the the dollars have to make sense, not cents.

[mac1983]

[MountainTi]

Originally Posted by mac1983

No white muscle disease downstream anyways

[M.C. Gusto]

https://oldmanwatershed.ca/blog-post...dman-watershed

LOTS OF INFORMATION

[Pekan]

Originally Posted by bessiedog

Thanks Davey

Don’t even know what the narwhal is.... but apparently I read it.

So.... lemme clarify what I posted.... cause it was pretty dang clear.

I said Grassy...... sure maybe
Tent...... sure maybe

Cause they were active once before.

Upper OMR..... nope.

And I’d love to hear from your high up wife.... let her shed light on the issue
I’m all ears

Then explain why Bushtown hasent been cleaned up yet.... that was promised 15 years ago or so.

Cross the river in Blairemore... useless tipple... leeching away.. can’t build on it.

Anywhere by the highway Bellevue
Can’t build... tipple.. sorry.

Nother shaft caved in up the hill... good times.

Alberta government has set the policy that the aquifer inCnP is almost tapped out.

Where’s Tent and Grassy gonna get their water...?

Show me a plan that convincingly protects the water supply and I’m good.

Benga alreadyf’ed up gold creek with some kinda spill into it few years ago....

So... by my eyes and experience so far.

Not the best track record.

And yes... some of my best friends work at tech.



But you jus go ahead and label me a tree hugger if it makes you feel good bud.

I agree with what you're saying. Grassy and tent, sure. But the idea that 940 is going to get turned into an industrial area seems like a bad idea.

I personally think the CNP has some great potential as a more recreationally focused area. Maybe that doesn't bring as many high paying jobs to the area, but it could do much for the local real estate market. For example the PPK bike area. That attracts people.
Frank is some of the best bouldering in the province. Sinister 7 draws people from all over the world.
The added bonus to these kinds of developments, they don't get litigated for years making lawyers rich like these mine proposals will.

There are plenty of examples of mountain towns that used to make their primary livelihood from resources/mining that are now more recreational tourism focused:
Squamish, Canmore, Fernie, Leadville Co, Moab Ut. Look at real estate costs in these towns....Then compare to say Sparwood. Makes economic sense.

[JamesB]

Originally Posted by 1899b

This subject is a very touchy and controversial one for sure. Industry creates jobs and a future for families but it always comes with a price. The last moose I got was in 2003 in what was always prime moose country north of Fort McMurray where I spent 33 years. Now that same spot is smack dab in the middle of an oil sands mine which was Albian but now
owned by CNUL.

Sure these companies have to do reforestation and what not but that is so laughable. The trees Syncrude Canada replanted on their site, are stunted. They definitely don’t show the 20 to 30 years of growth from when the planted them. Nutrients have been mined out of the ground. It will never go back to the way it was...

Same can be said at Coal Valley Mine where I also worked. Look at the height of those trees around Silkstone and Lovett lake where those pits were filled then stocked with fish.

Are you suggesting that petroleum in the soil helps trees grow? Because the standard for these projects is to replace the topsoil that was removed after the mining is completed. So it is hard to imagine that the mining removed any nutrients.

[Sundancefisher]

Coal licenses have been cancelled. Coal development now cancelled.

https://globalnews.ca/news/7584521/a...hills-rockies/

[landowner]

Not all leases have been canceled .

[Fisherdan]

Originally Posted by Sundancefisher

Coal licenses have been cancelled. Coal development now cancelled.

https://globalnews.ca/news/7584521/a...hills-rockies/

Not cancelled... just the perception. 1800 hectares out of 420 000 hectares former category 2 crown land.

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by JamesB

Are you suggesting that petroleum in the soil helps trees grow? Because the standard for these projects is to replace the topsoil that was removed after the mining is completed. So it is hard to imagine that the mining removed any nutrients.

Top soil is structured. High organic on top, less as you go down.

Replaced as more or less equal mix. In northern soils, many nutrients too far down for good tree growth.

Depending on soil type and depth can go from good to bad or anything between good and bad.

Many northern soils have less then an inch of good top soil. But are stripped to a foot or more.

[crazy_davey]

Originally Posted by Sundancefisher

Coal licenses have been cancelled. Coal development now cancelled.

https://globalnews.ca/news/7584521/a...hills-rockies/

Another article that you didn’t read fully.

[1899b]

Originally Posted by crazy_davey

Another article that you didn’t read fully.

Yup your right. 8 leases remain in effect still....

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Fisherdan

Not cancelled... just the perception. 1800 hectares out of 420 000 hectares former category 2 crown land.

Say it ain't so joe....key word...perception....now Corb can go back to making hippie music

[Dynamic]

To fully understand how much of a non-story this latest "reversal" of cancelling coal leases is you must look back to May when they made the original announcement they were rescinding the Coal policy of 1976. The UPC literally dumped this decision on Albertan's on a Friday afternoon before the May long weekend. No consultation with stakeholders or the public.

Fast forward to today and they prepare a statement the are cancelling recently issues leases. It sounds good until you did deeper and realize what they cancelling leases for literally a fraction of a percent of what is still allowed to be leased to foreign coal mining companies. Stuff like this is why politicians are seen as corrupt, spineless, and morally bankrupt people. Nothing like a good gaslighting session to keep the people confused and wondering what is up and what is down.

I'm not against foreign investment. We need investment but lets get real......open pit mining for Coal? That is the best the UPC could come up with? Literally selling our slopes so we can ship this high grade coal off to China. As much as this public parks being sold off made the news, this should be 100x the story that was. This should be a referendum issue and something every Albertan should have a say on. All the facts should be out in the open for us to analyze and make an informed decision.

[35 whelen]

Here's some more information sorry I don't know how to repost posts

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk

[Head Lice]

Alberta doesn't have a lot of mountains in comparison . . . .
Take one or two . . . or twenty, gone forever. Never the same after the best of reclamations. Look next door up the Elk valley, and other feeder valleys.
Make sure your land decisions are long term.

[huntsfurfish]

Originally Posted by Dynamic

To fully understand how much of a non-story this latest "reversal" of cancelling coal leases is you must look back to May when they made the original announcement they were rescinding the Coal policy of 1976. The UPC literally dumped this decision on Albertan's on a Friday afternoon before the May long weekend. No consultation with stakeholders or the public.

Fast forward to today and they prepare a statement the are cancelling recently issues leases. It sounds good until you did deeper and realize what they cancelling leases for literally a fraction of a percent of what is still allowed to be leased to foreign coal mining companies. Stuff like this is why politicians are seen as corrupt, spineless, and morally bankrupt people. Nothing like a good gaslighting session to keep the people confused and wondering what is up and what is down.

I'm not against foreign investment. We need investment but lets get real......open pit mining for Coal? That is the best the UPC could come up with? Literally selling our slopes so we can ship this high grade coal off to China. As much as this public parks being sold off made the news, this should be 100x the story that was. This should be a referendum issue and something every Albertan should have a say on. All the facts should be out in the open for us to analyze and make an informed decision.

Well said and agree!

[Nayr]

Looks like the conservatives re thought this.

[fishnguy]

A better pic if what whelen posted above:

[flyrodfisher]

In the courts today;

https://globalnews.ca/news/7586299/c...ining-rockies/

[walking buffalo]

Australia currently has over a billion dollars of coal sitting on the docks as China is using this commodity to leverage their economy and politicians to be nicer to the Chinese Communist Party.

Australia demands that China allows entry of people to do an independent investigation into the source of Covid-19.

China's answer.
No coal from you. Complete coal import embargo.


Is this the kind of business partners we want when risking so much if the agreement fails?


Do the Crowsnest residents really want to work for and be subservient to the whims of the Chinese Communist Party?