No to Vista Coal Mine Expansion

I appreciate the opportunity to give input.

The Vista Coal Mine Expansion project should not be approved:

1. The majority of Albertans have rejected the notion of expanded coal mining in the province.

2. Destructive environmental impacts of expanding the vista site cannot be circumvented. The mine will require removing 192 million cubic meters of overburden. Forests, rock, soil will be removed, exposed overburden will leach harmful substances into streams (which includes a tributary to the Athabasca river), affecting endangered species of bull and rainbow trout. The Impact Assessment Agency  also listed adverse effects on species at risk, migratory birds, indigenous peoples and traditional activities.  Mitigation technologies have not been proven effective (many examples of failures such as Elk Valley Teck Mines).

3. Carbon pollution. Should expansion proceed, it could result in emissions of 22-33M tonnes of CO2/year, equal to 4.6-7 million new cars on the road for a year. Indeed, estimated emissions of the existing mine  are concerning, at an estimated  222,000 tonnes/yr (Impact Assessment Agency).

4. Canada and Alberta have committed to eliminate thermal coal.  The proposed expansion of Vista will make it one of the largest mines in NA, affecting perception of Canada on the world stage. Mining coal to be burned elsewhere is not an ethical work-around. Canada’s credibility and negotiating power as a member of the international community on addressing climate change will be eroded by such hypocritical actions.

5. Coalspur’s tactic of splitting the project to avoid federal review was underhanded,  set a dangerous precedent and called into question its trustworthiness.

6. Coal prices are volatile, cycling through boom/bust. International economics and opinion (eg. G7 decision to stop financing coal; fossil fuel divestment trends, etc.) are moving rapidly away from coal. Expanding the Vista mines pose significant threats to water, species at risk, indigenous groups, sensitive irreplaceable ecosystems. Stakes are too high to warrant the gamble.