What's New: Open Houses for Crown Mountain Coking Coal Project
IN BRIEF
- Public Open Houses are coming up in Cranbrook, Sparwood and online about the Crown Mountain Coking Coal project.
- In addition, there will be Ktunaxa-only information sessions later this spring.
- The Crown Mountain Project is proposed for Qukin ʔamakʔis (the Elk Valley), and it’s worth your attention.
- Below is some background about it, and details about opportunities for Ktunaxanin̓tik to comment.
- LINK: Regulatory Open Houses
- LINK: Project Executive Summary
- COMING SOON: Ktunaxa Engagement Session Details
- SIGN UP for UPDATES: engage@ktunaxa.org
WHAT’S HAPPENING
You may start hearing more about the “Crown Mountain Coking Coal” Project in coming days.
This is a proposed “valley fill” coal mine that is proposed in Qukin ʔamakʔis, (the Elk Valley.)
The proponent is NWP Coal.
This Project proposal has been in development for a decade.
Ktunaxa Nation Leadership was made aware of the proposal in 2014.
Since that time, Ktunaxa Leadership, with support from Lands & Resources staff, have reviewed the proposed project to identify areas of concern and opportunities for Ktunaxa.
The Environmental Assessment (EA) documentation itself is a few thousand pages of information.
The EA covers a whole range of factors:
- Where the Project would be
- What kind of mining would occur
- How the mined coal could be removed from the area
- How values would be impacted: Water, wildlife, cultural sites, and cumulative effects and more
- Which methods are proposed to protect those values or mitigate the impacts
- Potential economic benefits and costs
- and much more.
Now, NWP Coal has submitted its EA application to Provincial and Federal regulators, as is required.
It's the first step in an engagement period where all members of the public can attend open houses with government regulators to learn about the proposal, and to comment.
For the general public, there is one-month period to engage, starting with open houses in Cranbrook, Sparwood, and online.
(Details are below.)
THE KTUNAXA COMMENT PERIOD IS LONGER
Good news:
For Ktunaxanin̓tik, the opportunity to learn about and comment on the project is longer than one month.
Ktunaxa Nation Council will conduct engagement sessions with Ktunaxanin̓tik to review keys aspects of the proposed project. Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡi’it will also conduct engagement sessions with its members.
The feedback from these Ktunaxa-only engagement sessions will be worked into official responses that Ktunaxa Nation Council and Yaq̓it ʔa·knuqⱡi’it will send to regulators.
As well, regulators and the project proponent will have the opportunity to hear directly from Ktunaxanin̓tik during these additional engagements, and we're hoping to arrange site visits for Ktunaxa later this spring.
These engagements are opportunities for Ktunaxa to have our voices heard, and to make a difference in how the project might proceed, or if it will proceed.
Because the EA is in its first stages, elements of the project design can be altered in response to our feedback.
WHAT ARE OUR OPTIONS?
1) Ktunaxanin̓tik Engagement Sessions: TBA
We're planning Ktunaxa-only information sessions later this Spring, as soon as we can arrange them.
How can we contact you with the details of these sessions?
If you have signed up to be on the email list, we will send you the information.
If you haven’t signed up, please email engage@ktunaxa.org with a request to be on the email list so we can add your contact details.
Thank you!
You can also call us at 250-489-2464, and ask for Brandy Craig.
2) February Open Houses: Public
Cranbrook
Tuesday, February 13, 2024
12:00 - 3:00 PM MST
Prestige Rocky Mountain Resort (209 Van Horne Street)
Sparwood
Wednesday, February 14, 2024
4:00 - 7:00 PM MST
Causeway Bay Hotel (102 Red Cedar Drive)
3) Virtual Information Session: Public
Wednesday, February 21, 2024
5:00 - 7:00 PM MST
Click here to register:
https://ca01web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_eh5iJcv_T0GciYKxjtqfbA
PROJECT BRIEF...
NWP Coal Canada Limited is seeking a Mines Act permit, which would allow:
- An average production capacity of approximately 2 million tonnes of coal per year from three open pits over 15 years
- A disturbance of approximately 850 hectares
- Employment of up to 500 during construction and 330 during operation
Full details of the Crown Mountain Coking Coal application can be found here, in the Executive Summary document. (121 pages)
