The Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) has given a controversial nod to coal exploration applications at Grassy Mountain in the province's south, a decision published on May 15, that has immediately rekindled a long-standing battle over the future of metallurgical coal mining in the region. While not an approval for a full-fledged mine, the ruling is seen by many as a significant step towards potentially reopening an old mine site, drawing both fervent support and fierce opposition.

Northback Holdings Corp., a subsidiary of Australian billionaire Gina Rinehart's Hancock Prospecting Pty. Ltd., is the driving force behind the applications. The company owns a vast tract of land in the Crowsnest Pass, an area historically rich with coal mining activity until the 1960s. The approved applications pertain to exploratory drilling and water diversion, essential precursor activities for developing a detailed plan to access the abundant metallurgical coal veins.

Crowsnest Pass Mayor Blair Painter expressed satisfaction with the AER's decision, stating in an interview on Friday, "We need high-quality metallurgical coal, like we have in our area. I'm happy for Northback that they've got their approval. It should have come months and months and months ago." His sentiment is echoed by many in the community, as evidenced by a non-binding referendum held on November 25, where nearly 72% of Crowsnest Pass residents voted in favour of a steelmaking coal project on Grassy Mountain. Mayor Painter reiterated the municipality's intent to "support the project and to work with the government or lobby the government to move this project forward."

However, the decision is a bitter pill for opponents, including Southern Alberta rancher Laura Laing. "Disappointed but, unfortunately, not really surprised," was Ms. Laing's reaction on Friday. She highlighted a critical point of contention: a joint federal-provincial review panel had previously rejected a proposal for a coal mine at Grassy Mountain in 2021, citing concerns over water quality, fish, air, noise, and overall public interest. "The big thing for me is that this Northback exploration approval, it’s completely inconsistent with the panel decision that coal exploration and development wasn’t in the public interest on Grassy Mountain. I believe it wasn’t then, and I strongly feel, along with many Albertans, that it isn’t now," Laing asserted, indicating that she and other landowners are considering appealing the AER's ruling.

The AER, in its decision, emphasized that the approved applications were solely for exploration and not for a mine itself, thus limiting the program's potential impacts.

Northback Holdings Corp. released a statement via email on Thursday evening, thanking the AER for the decision and reiterating their "commitment to bring benefits to Albertans while adhering to the highest environmental standards."

The approval marks another chapter in the ongoing saga of coal development in Alberta's sensitive eastern slopes. With proponents and opponents firmly entrenched in their positions, the fight for Grassy Mountain is far from over, promising further legal and public battles as Northback advances its plans.