Overview

• The Alberta Energy Regulator granted conditional permits for Northback Holdings’ Grassy Mountain coal exploration, limiting water withdrawals to an isolated end-pit lake to prevent downstream impacts.
• The project, located on a legacy coal mine site in the Municipal District of Ranchland, was previously rejected in 2021 over environmental concerns but was later exempted from Alberta’s coal-mining ban as an 'advanced' proposal.
• Crowsnest Pass Mayor Blair Painter welcomed the decision, citing potential for over 300 jobs and benefits to local schools, hospitals, and businesses.
• Environmental Defence and other advocacy groups criticized the approval, warning of irreversible water pollution and risks to ecosystems, agriculture, and downstream communities like Lethbridge.
• The decision follows months of public hearings and policy revisions, with 72% of Crowsnest Pass residents supporting coal development in a 2024 referendum.