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Old 06-10-2020, 12:02 AM
reneauc reneauc is offline
 
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Default Ram River area in danger of coal strip mining

https://www.stettlerindependent.com/...-by-coal-mine/
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  #2  
Old 06-10-2020, 08:05 AM
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Does any body have a proposed map of this area, that the coal mine will be.
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Old 06-10-2020, 08:21 AM
ecsuplander ecsuplander is offline
 
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Wow. This could be very bad news for the Ram. We as concerned citizens better try to put the brakes on some of this governments policies. The focus seems to be only on economics. Selling land, closing parks and opening up pristine areas to strip mining- geez
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Old 06-10-2020, 09:11 AM
mikeym mikeym is offline
 
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do a forum search as this has been ongoing for a couple of years now and there was a post with a map or link to a map. if you know the area it is on the sunpine rd just off the N Fork Rd. fish and quad quite a bit in that area and they are starting to prepare the area quite a bit. there is a new road that follows the old fire rd that started at the gap (the one you used to be able to take a small suv over the hill before it washed away and the boulder blocked it). there also looks to be a work camp going in at approx km 60 (about 1 km past where the N Fork first meets the N Ram if heading west).

probably too late now to do anything about it as this has been on the books for a couple of years. not saying i like it as it is going to ruin some beautiful trails and bring a lot of traffic to the area.

rgds
Mike
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Old 06-10-2020, 09:16 AM
mikeym mikeym is offline
 
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also do a web search for Ram River Coal, they have a page on the site with a map on it.

Mike
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  #6  
Old 06-10-2020, 10:21 AM
reneauc reneauc is offline
 
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Here is a map view. Marked the north and south ram in pink. Majority of the work will be north of the north ram river, but there are some drill sites mighty close to the north ram river. Access will also likely be impacted if they are surface mining.
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Old 06-10-2020, 10:24 AM
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Soiler Soiler is offline
 
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That sucks. That’s not going to be any good for the area.
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Old 06-10-2020, 02:08 PM
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FlyTheory FlyTheory is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by reneauc View Post
Here is a map view. Marked the north and south ram in pink. Majority of the work will be north of the north ram river, but there are some drill sites mighty close to the north ram river. Access will also likely be impacted if they are surface mining.
Can’t wait
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Old 06-10-2020, 02:51 PM
turbo mulcher turbo mulcher is offline
 
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They are also looking at cabin ridge above the oldman river just off of highway 40
first they log it out then they strip mine it but ATV do too much damage .
kiss the fishing good bye in the upper oldman
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Old 06-10-2020, 04:11 PM
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Moosetalker Moosetalker is offline
 
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Be a good spot for F&W to start dropping of problem G Bears Oh wait there are non have to get them from BC
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  #11  
Old 06-10-2020, 07:36 PM
K.J K.J is offline
 
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All those years of catch and release ain't gonna mean a damn thing if they kill the river....
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Old 06-10-2020, 09:29 PM
turbo mulcher turbo mulcher is offline
 
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Originally Posted by turbo mulcher View Post
They are also looking at cabin ridge above the oldman river just off of highway 40
first they log it out then they strip mine it but ATV do too much damage .
kiss the fishing good bye in the upper oldman
two companies in there drilling approx 1000 test holes
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  #13  
Old 06-10-2020, 10:30 PM
Don Andersen Don Andersen is offline
 
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What to look forward to:

https://thenarwhal.ca/b-c-coal-mine-...ing-b-c-river/

Or

https://thenarwhal.ca/canada-suppres...u-s-officials/

Or

https://archive.org/details/evaluati...0micr/mode/2up


Don

Last edited by Don Andersen; 06-10-2020 at 10:41 PM.
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Old 06-11-2020, 07:06 AM
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The sad reality is that the ROI of the anthracite they’re mining isn’t very high... they’re gonna lose so much money on shipping it to Japan they won’t even be making much money. So honestly, environmental damage and low ROI, WHATS the point
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Old 06-11-2020, 07:21 AM
Exploits Exploits is offline
 
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I cant believe the gov’t is willing to destroy this area over 100 jobs. Insanity. I bet the job count will be more like 30-50 positions once up and running. These projects are not big job creators like days of old. Hell most don’t pay *****e. Maybe we can pool our money and send Gretta on a fly fishing trip to the gorge. Imagine the media spectacle.

Last edited by leo; 06-12-2020 at 10:01 AM.
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Old 06-11-2020, 10:30 AM
smitty9 smitty9 is offline
 
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Originally Posted by Exploits View Post
I cant believe the gov’t is willing to destroy this area over 100 jobs. Insanity. I bet the job count will be more like 30-50 positions once up and running. These projects are not big job creators like days of old. Hell most don’t pay *****e. Maybe we can pool our money and send Gretta on a fly fishing trip to the gorge. Imagine the media spectacle.
THIS is what Albertans wanted. THIS is what (I'm willing to bet) the sizable majority of users of THIS forum voted for. So much for outdoorspeople being stewards of the land and water...

Last edited by leo; 06-12-2020 at 10:02 AM.
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Old 06-11-2020, 10:39 AM
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walking buffalo walking buffalo is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by turbo mulcher View Post
They are also looking at cabin ridge above the oldman river just off of highway 40
first they log it out then they strip mine it but ATV do too much damage .
kiss the fishing good bye in the upper oldman
Industrial development of the whole upper Oldman has been the plan all along.

Log it all out, then mine it, build a major transmission corridor....
It's all been decided, just a matter of when.
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  #18  
Old 06-11-2020, 11:30 AM
LaWitty LaWitty is offline
 
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any ongoing petitions or movements that a dude could join to oppose these mines?
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Old 06-11-2020, 06:37 PM
roughneckin roughneckin is offline
 
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With what we know about Teck and it’s selenium issues in the Flathead, increased possible coal mining up the Old Man might have a huge dissolved metals issue in the Old Man Reservoir too.

I know from a reputable source that they are doing exploratory drilling already there but don’t know the findings.

Last edited by roughneckin; 06-11-2020 at 06:43 PM.
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Old 06-11-2020, 08:23 PM
dalewig dalewig is offline
 
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Wasn’t there just a report out a few months ago where the cutty population in the fording river had been basically decimated due to coal mining / selenium issues. Just guessing , but that’s likely only 10 or so miles west of cabin ridge.

Very concerned about a coal mine adjacent to arguably our top 2 cutty rivers in Alberta , and we don’t really have many. Also gonna guess quite a few on this forum have hunted pretty close. I understand Alberta isn’t in the greatest spot now and is looking for some new industry economically , but this just seems like a really bad spot for a mind wildlife / fish wise
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Old 06-11-2020, 09:58 PM
flyrodfisher flyrodfisher is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dalewig View Post
Wasn’t there just a report out a few months ago where the cutty population in the fording river had been basically decimated due to coal mining / selenium issues.
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canad...UamG?li=AA521o
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  #22  
Old 06-15-2020, 12:02 PM
Jokey75 Jokey75 is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by smitty9 View Post
THIS is what Albertans wanted. THIS is what (I'm willing to bet) the sizable majority of users of THIS forum voted for. So much for outdoorspeople being stewards of the land and water...
The eastslopes don't have walleye or perch in them, and the trout waters are almost all no kill regs so the AO voters you speak of here definitely don't give a damn. They probably cheered at the news.

J
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  #23  
Old 06-15-2020, 01:16 PM
huntsfurfish huntsfurfish is offline
 
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Oh, but the jobs.


Its getting harder and harder to stay conservative.


Guess there is no conservation in conservative!
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Old 06-15-2020, 02:51 PM
smitty9 smitty9 is offline
 
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Originally Posted by huntsfurfish View Post
Oh, but the jobs.


Its getting harder and harder to stay conservative.


Guess there is no conservation in conservative!
I didn't leave the Conservative party...they left me.
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  #25  
Old 06-16-2020, 12:50 PM
Moe Moe is offline
 
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Should have kept Notley in, more environmental protections with her in charge
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  #26  
Old 06-18-2020, 12:07 PM
aiceeslater aiceeslater is offline
 
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I called the office of Jason Nixon, Environment and Parks Minister. They told me this was a decision of the Energy sector and didn’t involve the Parks/Environment. (You can still call with any concerns at 310-0000) So I called the Office of Sonya Savage, Energy Minister (780-427-3740) and I had to leave a voicemail.

I basically voiced my concerns about the project and how despite my vote and how I am normally in favour of energy projects, with what we now know about how risky these mines on the rivers are, it doesn’t seem worth it. So that was on Monday and I didn’t think anything of it.

Today I got a call from the AER to follow up with my concerns and the guy didn’t actually have much info on the Ram River coal project. Took down my concerns and asked if he could further follow up with me after looking into it. Told me about their testing practices and if I am in that area a lot and ever see anything of concern to call 1-800-222-6514 and it will launch an investigation into said concerns.

I gotta say, I’m glad I called and if there’s anyone else interested in making some noise and at the very least, putting some pressure on the project to be very careful and complaint, we should all be calling these places and voicing our concerns.
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Old 06-18-2020, 06:32 PM
aiceeslater aiceeslater is offline
 
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Compliant***
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Old 06-19-2020, 09:41 AM
Jokey75 Jokey75 is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aiceeslater View Post
I called the office of Jason Nixon, Environment and Parks Minister. They told me this was a decision of the Energy sector and didn’t involve the Parks/Environment. (You can still call with any concerns at 310-0000) So I called the Office of Sonya Savage, Energy Minister (780-427-3740) and I had to leave a voicemail.

I basically voiced my concerns about the project and how despite my vote and how I am normally in favour of energy projects, with what we now know about how risky these mines on the rivers are, it doesn’t seem worth it. So that was on Monday and I didn’t think anything of it.

Today I got a call from the AER to follow up with my concerns and the guy didn’t actually have much info on the Ram River coal project. Took down my concerns and asked if he could further follow up with me after looking into it. Told me about their testing practices and if I am in that area a lot and ever see anything of concern to call 1-800-222-6514 and it will launch an investigation into said concerns.

I gotta say, I’m glad I called and if there’s anyone else interested in making some noise and at the very least, putting some pressure on the project to be very careful and complaint, we should all be calling these places and voicing our concerns.
I appreciate you making the call. That kind of action is needed more.

But telling you right now that Nixon's office telling you it had nothing to do with parks/environment is a complete load of crap. The only way this kind of thing goes through is with DE-regulation. By removing the legislation that would ban open pit coal mining it was an absolute green light.

For Nixon's office to say it was out of their hands is just a lie. A total lie. Does anybody think a massive project like a coal mine has ZERO impact on the environment? Of course not. Totally within his office's wheelhouse.

Environmental reporting regulation have been recently removed. Open pit coal mining is now allowed. And....here's the kicker....they are looking at closing down well over 120 parks. That is no coincidence. If private managers to these parks cannot be found (and they wont for the most part....it's a hard business to run) they will revert back to Crown land and the govt can do ANYTHING they want with them. They say they won't sell them. I don't believe that for a second but they can certainly lease it and I am sure that is what will happen. Energy and timber companies are salivating right now.

It also just so happens that if you take the map of the parks they intend to close (to save a measly 5 million btw) and overlap it with what is projected to be large deposits of coal and natural gas....they line up incredibly close.

Make no mistake....it's all connected and all planned well in advance (our former environment minister is now the head of the largest coal mining association in Canada) to take public land, sell it or take away access and permanently ruin pristine waters for profit.

J
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Old 06-19-2020, 11:30 AM
aiceeslater aiceeslater is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jokey75 View Post
I appreciate you making the call. That kind of action is needed more.

But telling you right now that Nixon's office telling you it had nothing to do with parks/environment is a complete load of crap. The only way this kind of thing goes through is with DE-regulation. By removing the legislation that would ban open pit coal mining it was an absolute green light.

For Nixon's office to say it was out of their hands is just a lie. A total lie. Does anybody think a massive project like a coal mine has ZERO impact on the environment? Of course not. Totally within his office's wheelhouse.

Environmental reporting regulation have been recently removed. Open pit coal mining is now allowed. And....here's the kicker....they are looking at closing down well over 120 parks. That is no coincidence. If private managers to these parks cannot be found (and they wont for the most part....it's a hard business to run) they will revert back to Crown land and the govt can do ANYTHING they want with them. They say they won't sell them. I don't believe that for a second but they can certainly lease it and I am sure that is what will happen. Energy and timber companies are salivating right now.

It also just so happens that if you take the map of the parks they intend to close (to save a measly 5 million btw) and overlap it with what is projected to be large deposits of coal and natural gas....they line up incredibly close.

Make no mistake....it's all connected and all planned well in advance (our former environment minister is now the head of the largest coal mining association in Canada) to take public land, sell it or take away access and permanently ruin pristine waters for profit.

J
I made a point of sparing you all my opinion of how the Environment and Parks office dismissed any involvement in this... But yes, very concerning.
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Old 06-19-2020, 12:59 PM
Dielbo Dielbo is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nimrod View Post
Does any body have a proposed map of this area, that the coal mine will be.
Here: Proposed Coal Mine on Ram River, Alberta

https://imgur.com/gallery/TD2ggjY

I tracked down a bunch of the corporate documents and investor packages. One thing that jumped out was the statement that "there are no legacy water concerns" for this project. That seems like a startling statement for a proposed strip/pit coal mine next to a pristine river.

Further, the Ram River Coal Corporation is a privately held company based in Vancouver. So most, if not all, profits earned will be leaving Alberta. I checked the history of other companies that the directors have been involved with.

First, is Atacama Minerals of Vancouver. The Atacama is a massive lithium mining area in Chile, which has had a ton of environmental issues.

https://www.wired.co.uk/article/lith...atacama-desert

Next is Red Back Mining. It's been involved in human rights and corruption violations in Ghana.

https://www.business-humanrights.org...ning-companies

Anyways, one could get the idea that these people really don't give a ***** about the impact of their projects. I have no confidence in them protecting the integrity of the Ram River. That said, I don't want to force my opinion on others. Here is a comprehensive source document for anyone interested:

https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link...6-d18552d6ecc0

It looks as though the MLA from that area is Jason Nixon, who is also the Environmental Minister. Call him, write him, pressure him, etc to rescind this project approval. If you know people with power within or linked to the UCP talk to them about this.

Jason Nixon
Contact Information

Address:Constituency Office
101 - 6 Street SW
Sundre, AB
Canada T0M1X0
Phone:403.638.5029
Fax:403.638.2685
Email: Rimbey, RockyMountain House, Sundre
@assembly.ab.ca

Address:Satellite Office
4912 - 50 Street
Rocky Mountain House, AB
Canada T4T 1G7
Phone:403.871.0701

Address:Legislature Office
323 Legislature Building
10800 - 97 Avenue NW
Edmonton, AB
Canada T5K 2B6
Phone:780.427.2391
Fax:780.422.6259
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