The Crown Mountain Coking Coal public comment period is currently open.
The proposed project is “an open-pit metallurgical coal mine located in the Elk Valley, 12 kilometres northeast of Sparwood, British Columbia.” It is estimated that it will produce 2 million tonnes of coal per year from three open pits over 16 years.
The BCWF-affiliated Sparwood and District Fish and Wildlife Association has voiced their opposition to this project, and is asking the general public to speak out by submitting a comment, contacting their MLA, or attending an in-person open house or virtual information session.
In a statement, Matt Huryn, President of the Sparwood and District Fish and Wildlife Association, says:
“The mine footprint is on and directly adjacent to bighorn sheep, mountain goat, grizzly bear, wolverine, lynx, elk, moose and mule deer habitat. The loss of this habitat is irreplaceable through mitigation. The Elk Valley is already faced with a massive water quality/selenium crisis and this will undoubtedly add to that. This proposal will fragment the landscape, and disrupt connectivity and traditional migration routes/corridors. The manmade infrastructure (buildings, stockpiles, overland conveyor belt) will impede the natural movements of many species. The rail loop and loadout facility is mapped out on class 1 elk winter range (Grave Prairie) in the valley bottom. Not to mention that a project with a minelife of 15 years is not worth a lifetime of negative environmental impacts. This topic is very near and dear to our Club, and residents here in the Elk Valley.”
The B.C. Wildlife Federation is supporting this stance. “Wildlife populations in the Kootenays are under threat from all sides. We recently had the first two deer test positive for Chronic Wasting Disease in the Kootenays. Populations are being heavily impacted by habitat degradation and fragmentation. In such a critical wildlife area, the last thing we need to do is destroy more habitat,” says Advocacy Coordinator, Steve Hamilton. “Raise your voice now for all the wildlife in the Elk Valley that rely on this range for food, clean water, and safe shelter. Contact your MLA and remind them that we need to start putting wildlife first.”
Engage now online. Public comment period closes on February 28, 2024 at midnight.
Open houses will be held:
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)
A Virtual Information Session will be held:
Wednesday, February 21, 2024
5:00 – 7:00 PM MST