The Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) released on Friday its decision on the Northback Holdings applications for a coal exploration program, a deep drill permit and a temporary diversion licence for the Grassy Mountain coal project in the Crowsnest Pass region of southwestern Alberta.
The panel approved Northback’s application, with conditions, and found that the applications met all regulatory requirements and are in the public interest.
The AER held a public oral hearing in the community of Pincher Creek in December 2024. A continuation at AER’s Govier Hall in Calgary was convened on January 14, 2025 and closing arguments were provided on March 4, with participants presenting at the hearing.
The mine, originally closed in 1983, has the capacity to produce 4.5 million tonnes of steelmaking coal annually and spans 2,800 hectares.
The project is being led by Northback Holdings, formerly…
