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Organisers of the Water Not Coal petition are expressing alarm that a pivotal question regarding coal mining in the eastern foothills of the Rocky Mountains may not appear on the ballot for the upcoming October referendum. Premier Danielle Smith previously indicated that if sufficient signatures were gathered through citizen-led initiatives, the issue would be subject to a public vote. However, uncertainty now clouds the process, leaving many advocates anxious about the future of Alberta’s water resources.
A Call to Action
The Water Not Coal campaign has successfully gathered over 200,000 signatures, advocating for a ban on new coal mining operations in the critical watersheds that nourish much of Alberta’s river systems. Central to the petition are two contentious projects: Northback Holdings’ Grassy Mountain venture and Valory Resource’s Blackstone mine. The petition aims to curb any approvals these projects might receive from provincial regulators, highlighting the potential ecological risks associated with coal mining in this sensitive region.
Corb Lund, an influential Alberta rancher and country music artist, is at the forefront of this initiative. He argues that coal mining poses a significant threat to the entire Eastern Slopes ecosystem and the vital headwaters feeding major river systems, including the Athabasca, Oldman, South Saskatchewan, North Saskatchewan, Peace, and Red Deer rivers. Last week, Lund submitted the petition to Elections Alberta, which now has a 21-day window to verify the signatures.
A Complicated Process
If Elections Alberta confirms at least 178,000 valid signatures, it would compel Smith’s government to either enact legislation banning new coal mining or present the matter for a provincewide referendum. However, Premier Smith recently stated on her radio programme, Your Province Your Premier, that the petition must navigate through a committee process before it could be placed on a referendum ballot. This procedural requirement has raised concerns among petitioners, who fear it may delay or even derail the referendum.
“Now she’s pretending that, through some technicality, she’s not going to put it on the referendum,” Lund remarked, highlighting his frustration with the current political manoeuvring. “She knows that she can put whatever she wants on a referendum — because she’s done it 10 times in a row.”
Despite his scepticism about the government’s willingness to act on the petition, Lund remains determined. “We fully expect to be on the referendum if our signatures are verified. Not only do we expect to be on the referendum, but we expect our question to be used verbatim,” he stated confidently.
Past Coal Policy Struggles
The provincial government has grappled with coal policy for several years, having faced backlash after the United Conservative Party (UCP) lifted longstanding protections in 2020 that had safeguarded the Eastern Slopes from open-pit coal mining. Following widespread public outcry, the UCP reinstated these protections and ceased the sale of exploration leases, but the debate remains heated.
Alberta Justice has confirmed that Elections Alberta aims to validate the petition results by July 1, with officials keen to observe how the situation unfolds. The outcome of this petition is poised to have far-reaching implications for both environmental policy and community engagement across the province.
Why it Matters
The Water Not Coal campaign represents a significant grassroots effort to safeguard Alberta’s vital water resources against the encroachment of coal mining. The outcome of the referendum, should it occur, will not only determine the fate of specific mining projects but also signal the province’s commitment to environmental stewardship and public engagement in resource management. As communities increasingly voice their concerns over ecological sustainability, the results of this initiative could set a precedent for future environmental policies in Alberta and beyond.