Smith also said she hopes that people would have an open mind about mining
Two Alberta environmental groups are praising Premier Danielle Smith’s comments on banning open-pit mining, just days after the provincial energy regulator approved a coal exploration program for a contentious project in the Eastern Slopes of the Rockies.
The premier said on her weekend radio program that the province has heard “loud and clear” that Albertans do not want mountaintop removal or strip mining. “They’re concerned that when you do that, it exposes the rock face to when it rains, selenium getting into the water system. So we’ve put a policy in place — you can’t do these things,” said Smith.
“You can’t do open pit mining, you can’t do strip mining, but if you can find techniques that allow you to do new underground mining, then we’re going to be open to approving those projects.” Crowsnest Headwaters spokesman David Thomas said the group “will hold the premier to her new policy commitment,” which the groups took to mean it would apply to the proposed Grassy Mountain project.
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