An Australian mining company that had proposed a major open-pit coal mine in southwestern Alberta now says it may want to build a "renewable energy complex" on the site instead. Montem Resources had initially planned to develop an open-pit coal mine on Tent Mountain, just southwest of Crowsnest Pass, and was in the process of seeking regulatory approvals for the project. But after the federal and provincial governments rejected a nearby mining proposal — Riversdale Resources' Grassy Mountain project — Montem rethought its plans for Tent Mountain.
Alberta government wants to rewrite the water use rules along eastern slopes of Rockies
The Alberta government wants to rewrite the rules on water use along the eastern slopes of the Rockies as part of its economic recovery plan, including a push for new coal developments in the area. Water use is highly restricted in southern Alberta due to concerns about supply, and new water licences cannot be issued, they have to be purchased from existing licence holders on the open market. The new plan put forward by the Alberta government would affect water pulled from the Oldman watershed above the dam.