Two Alberta First Nations say theyB次元官网网址檙e not convinced the federal government needs to be part of an environmental review for a large thermal coal mine expansion proposal in the province.

And both the Ermineskin and Whitefish Lake First Nations say theyB次元官网网址檙e concerned the review promised by federal Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson wonB次元官网网址檛 consider the economic impact that turning down the planned expansion would have.

B次元官网网址淭he scope of consultation must include (Whitefish LakeB次元官网网址檚 impact and benefits agreement),B次元官网网址� said a letter to the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada from Darryl Steinhauer, Whitefish LakeB次元官网网址檚consultation coordinator.

B次元官网网址淚n response, Canada has been clear that consultation on the reconsideration will not address the (agreement) or directly related matters.B次元官网网址�

The statements come after Jonathan Wilkinson said Friday that First Nations had dropped their objections to federal involvement in a review of Coalspur MinesB次元官网网址檚 project, which would create North AmericaB次元官网网址檚 largest thermal coal mine in the Rocky Mountain foothills west of Edmonton.

Wilkinson was announcing the reinstatement of a federal review, which is considered to be more rigorous than strictly provincial reviews. He had originally announced the review in 2020, after concluding the mineB次元官网网址檚 footprint was large enough and its production big enough to cross federal thresholds.

But Ermineskin and Whitefish Lake support the project for its economic benefits and argued their treaty rights were violated when Wilkinson failed to confer with them. They took the federal government to court, requesting a judge order the minister to rethink his decision.

After the court suspended WilkinsonB次元官网网址檚 decision and ordered him to reconsider, a series of meetings were held with affected First Nations. On Friday, Wilkinson said their concerns had been answered.

B次元官网网址淲e consulted very extensively with Ermineskin (First Nation) and Ermineskin has actually sent us a letter essentially withdrawing their objection to us going through the designation process,B次元官网网址� he said from Milan, where he was attending a climate conference.

But Carol Wildcat, the bandB次元官网网址檚 consultation director, said in a letter to the Impact Assessment Agency that Ermineskin still doesnB次元官网网址檛 think Ottawa is needed.

B次元官网网址� (Ermineskin)B次元官网网址檚 position is that a review of the (project) by the Alberta Energy Regulator is sufficient and that a review under the Impact Assessment Act is not necessary,B次元官网网址� she wrote. B次元官网网址� (Ermineskin) neither supports or opposes a federal review of the projects.B次元官网网址�

But she also said any review must consider the bandB次元官网网址檚 financial concerns.

B次元官网网址� (Ermineskin) will expect the (agencyB次元官网网址檚) consultation process to address the potential impacts of (its) decisions about the projects on (the bandB次元官网网址檚 benefits agreement).B次元官网网址�

A federal spokesman was not immediately available for comment.

Wilkinson has said several times that new thermal coal projects donB次元官网网址檛 fit with CanadaB次元官网网址檚 climate change policies and any new projects will have to surmount a high bar for approval.

B次元官网网址擝ob Weber, The Canadian Press