AlbertaB次元官网网址檚 government has quietly rescinded its moratorium on new coal exploration and development in the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains.

ItB次元官网网址檚 a move critics say means the province has declared open season on renewed coal mining.

In a letter to the Alberta Energy Regulator posted to its website Monday, Energy Minister Brian Jean said lifting a 2022 moratorium will B次元官网网址渞educe regulatory confusionB次元官网网址� around coal mining.

Jean also directed the regulator to give B次元官网网址渄ue considerationB次元官网网址� to the governmentB次元官网网址檚 new policy intention, first announced in December. Under that plan, the government said it will require companies to show how they can prevent toxic selenium from leaching into watersheds. However, that policy, led by industry consultations, has yet to be fully developed or implemented.

The end of the moratorium comes as five coal companies are taking the Alberta government to court, seeking more than a combined $15 billion in lost revenues and sunk costs that they say theyB次元官网网址檙e owed as a result of the governmentB次元官网网址檚 back-and-forth policy manoeuvres.

TheyB次元官网网址檙e expected to appear in court in the spring.

Concerns about coal mining peaked in 2020, when the province announced it would remove rules that had protected the eastern slopes of the Rockies from open-pit coal mining since 1976 and began issuing leases.

After a deluge of public pushback, the United Conservative Party government reinstated the protections and stopped selling exploration leases.

The 1976 coal policy remains in effect, restricting all exploration and development on Category 1 lands, which include parks, wilderness areas and wildlife sanctuaries.

Nigel Bankes, professor emeritus of law at the University of Calgary, said other than those lands, B次元官网网址渋tB次元官网网址檚 open seasonB次元官网网址� for coal development in areas currently leased.

He also said it appears the government made the move to kill the legal action against it. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 very likely it knocks the foundation out from those cases,B次元官网网址� said Bankes in an interview.

He said it was bad decision-making that put the province in a vulnerable legal position in the first place, but said they have options.

B次元官网网址�(They could) pass a statute saying, B次元官网网址榃e are not paying compensation,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� said Bankes. He said Albertans should be concerned about renewed mining, particularly those who live downstream of potential projects.

B次元官网网址淧eople thought we put coal to bed,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址淲hat Albertans are learning is thatB次元官网网址檚 actually not what this government thinks.B次元官网网址�

JeanB次元官网网址檚 office did not immediately provide comment to The Canadian Press.

The Canadian Parks and Wilderness SocietyB次元官网网址檚 Alberta chapter said the change means new coal mine exploration and development on more than 1,880 square kilometres of leases could begin as early as the spring.

The move also comes as a contentious mine project being proposed in the Crowsnest Pass by Northback Holdings progresses through the regulatory approval process. The wilderness society said it means the Grassy Mountain project can proceed without a big regulatory hurdle.

The society said companies are already being informed that their exploration permits are reactivated.

Kennedy Halvorson, a conservationist with the Alberta Wilderness Association, said the governmentB次元官网网址檚 latest move is premature, as the government had said it was in the process of developing its new coal policy.

B次元官网网址淚t opens up a lot of lands for exploration and development that have been protected in the last couple years while the government was meant to be seeking clarity on how they move forward with this industry,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淚t seems like all of these companies can now pick up kind of exactly where they ended off in that process and start to push their applications through the regulatory process before we have answers.B次元官网网址�

Opposition NDP environment critic Sarah Elmeligi said the UCP is opening the eastern slopes for coal mining and development, while also creating confusion and uncertainty.

She said the UCPB次元官网网址檚 policy shifts created the opportunity for coal mining companies to expect compensation, and now the government is telling them the moratorium was just a pause.

B次元官网网址淏ut by doing that, theyB次元官网网址檙e breaking the promise they made to Albertans that they would protect the eastern slopes,B次元官网网址� Elmeligi said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 20, 2025.

Jack Farrell and Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press