Coal Mine Pollution Threatens Local Communities
British Columbia’s approval of an open-pit coal mine expansion project has drawn criticism over concerns of increased water and air pollution from the mining operations. Teck Resources Ltd’s proposed $20-billion Frontier oilsands mine northwest of Fort McMurray. Would be one of the largest such projects in the world. However, local Indigenous groups and environmental organizations warn of the pollution risks.
The mine is expected to directly employ 7,000 workers during construction and 2,500 after production begins. But the project’s environmental impacts could negatively affect the health and livelihoods of nearby communities for decades. Chief Allan Adam of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation said “We have to stand up now before it’s too late. Before we end up with contaminated water and air pollution like they have down south in the States.”
A Balancing Act
Government regulators approved the project with conditions aimed at limiting environmental damage. Over the project’s 41-year lifespan, it is projected to release 10 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually. Teck Resources will be required to restore disturbed lands and monitor water quality. However, critics argue these measures may not adequately address concerns over long-term water and air contamination from the massive open-pit mining operation.
With an estimated cost of $20 billion, the Frontier mine holds coal reserves that could contribute significant tax revenue and well-paying jobs to Alberta’s economy. However, the project’s environmental and health impacts on local communities could persist long after mining concludes.
Regulators were tasked with weighing these economic benefits versus the project’s environmental and social costs. Particularly impacts to Indigenous treaty rights and lands. In the end, they granted conditional approval, but skepticism remains over whether surrounding communities will ultimately pay an excessive price in pollution for the jobs and tax income generated by the Frontier coal mine.
