Environmental Impact of Coal Mining in Canada: An Analysis

This essay delves into the environmental controversies surrounding coal mining in Canada, particularly focusing on the Cheviot Coal Mine project and its impact on the Cardinal River. The paper discusses the pollution of water bodies with chemicals like nitrate and selenium, affecting both aquatic life and human populations relying on the river for drinking water. It highlights the conflicts between environmental conservation and mineral exploitation, the role of government and NGOs, and the concerns of indigenous communities. The essay examines the controversies surrounding the expansion of coal mines, the legal challenges by conservation groups, and the impact on migratory birds. It concludes by emphasizing the need for environmental conservation to take precedence over economic activities and advocating for upholding the rule of law in protecting the environment.

WRITING ASSIGNMENT 3: ANALYTIC PAPER (ANALYSIS/SYNTHESIS)
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All the activities carried out by human beings have an effect on the surrounding both as biotic
and non-biotic organisms. This is what we commonly referred to as Environmental issues. This
particular paper presents an argument regarding environmental impact by human activities. The
discussion will help understand the due effect of these environmental issues in Canada.it will
also highlight the controversy related to these environmental issues. Coal-mining in Canada has
caused a lot of environmental pollution resulting in contaminated water, a habitat for aquatic
animals like birds and fish. The coal-mining process has contaminated river Cardinal by
introducing nitrate and selenium chemicals into the water body. Residents along River Cardinal
use its water for drinking and growing medicinal plantations, they are therefore greatly affected
by the water pollution. These residents have requested the mining company to continue with the
mining process without affecting River Cardinal and Brazeau.
The Cheviot Coal Mine Project is operated by Elk Valley Coal Corporation's Cardinal
River Operations commonly referred to as CRO. It is located about the 250km west region of
Edmonton in Alberta. It is actually located in the Subalpine Natural Subregion of the Front
Range of the mountains which are rocky and at elevation value from 1650 to n1900m. The
mineral content is located at the surface boundary almost 3km east of the national park of Jasper.
After about 10 years of environmental assessment as well as extensive processes of regulation,
there was the issuance of approvals for the development of Cheviot Mining in the region.
The construction was started in the year 2004 and finally completed in the year 2005. In
order to address the conditions of the environment, the development incorporated several
programs of mitigation as well as strategies(Thompson 2016). This followed the plea from the
residents who entirely rely on water from river Cardinal for their domestic use. Some of the
strategies which were employed included attempts to avoid in-stream disturbance as well as the

quality impacts of water. There was the initiation of the programs concerning water management
to ensure control as well as containment of all the wastewater sources. The employment of these
mitigation measures has been to ensure that there is a reduction of ecological as well as species
impacts. Consequently, the mitigation programs of wildlife as well as traffic have been
developed and implemented to address the issue of incidents along the haul road of
operation(Piper & Green 2017).
As fate would have it, the expected success in the process has turned out to be an uphill
task for the company. Despite these developments, the construction of the haul road within the
valley needed temporary closure as well as expansion along the Cardinal River. This has become
the source of controversy. It is important to note that there was a requirement for the provision of
interim measures to allow stakeholders to pass through the main area of the construction. The
process of the construction occurred during the period intense litigation as well as the issue of the
litigation(Staff 2016).. The environmental conservation measures that have been put in place
seem not to be satisfactory to some of the environmental conservation groups(Miller et al.2013).
One of the key issues that have been considered controversial is the proposed expansion of the
Cardinal River Operations coal mine in Alberta.
Dumping of toxic chemicals in rivers has led to increased levels of nitrate and selenium
which affects the liver and kidney tissues, damage the various system and changes the color of
the nails and hair. Poor decisions which were made by Tech Company as they reflect was as a
result of lack of transparency in the data for treating the toxic materials. A lot of individual
research has been done to know the toxic chemicals present in particular selenium(O’Kane, et

al.2013). The high concentration of selenium was found downstream due to the presence of coal
mines. This concentration should be monitored to ensure the protection of the aquatic animals in
the water bodies. According to some activists, traces of these chemicals have been registered
from resident patients who consume fish extracted from the Cardinal River.
The issue of environmental controversy in regard to the mining activities is becoming
common in Canada.There is a huge conflict that normally results between the conservation of the
environment and mineral exploitation. The population growth has also led to an increase in the
cases of the environmental destruction claims and this affects major decisions by both the
governmental bodies as well as the NGOs(McCullough & Schultze 2018). The solution of the
environmental destruction claims normally takes a process as it cannot be solved within. This has
resulted in the poor implementation of environmental policies. The situation becomes worse
whenever there is a conflict of interest over land ownership and the environmentalists. One such
conflict is the controversial Cheviot Coal Mine. This particular case can be used though not as a
conclusive point but as a perfect reflection of the impacts of mining activities on the
environment(Luek, Brock, Rowan & Rasmussen 2014).
According to the World Health Organization, the level of selenium in drinking water should not
exceed a certain limit. The report which was currently presented by Tech shows that the level of
selenium in drinking water is low which is safe. However, this level may still be high for the
safe-existence of aquatic animals. The report also revealed the great impact on the water bodies
by the mining activities like increased levels of nitrate, calcite discharge, selenium, metallic and
non-metallic materials. Different agencies and organizations have also presented reports
depicting future effects of contamination of drinking water to the indigenous people, fish, and
migratory birds.

It was however decided against the concerns as there was an expectation on future
standards and regulations to compensate for the effects on the environment by the panel. The
decision-making process was based on the public interest as the environmental impacts were
seen not to be substantial enough to stop the project. One of the spokesmen of a certain
organization once stated that the panel’s approach used to identify significant environmental
impacts and effects on fish habitat and bears are quite disappointing(Cristescu, Stenhouse &
Boyce 2015). The discussion can, therefore, be concluded by highlighting the concerns of the
controversial project in Canada. The coal-mining process will continue affecting the water
bodies, migratory birds, and fish habitat in Canada, though the project was assumed to be
checked on by the current and future regulations(Voss & Bernhardt 2017).
. A group of Canadian conservation has launched a legal challenge of the controversial
Cheviot Coal Mine. According to this group, the action of the move by the federal government to
authorize the first section of the mining was uncalled for. According to this group, the proposed
expansion of the Cardinal River Operations coal mine in Alberta should be quashed since it will
lead to the destruction of the habitat as well as negatively impact the pattern of the migration of
the sensitive birds. The group views this action as a direct contravene to the federal cat of
Migratory Birds Conventions(Luek, Brock, Rowan & Rasmussen 2014). The development of
the comprehensive initiatives has been stunted by the low level of federal authority over the
issues of the environment.
Instead of involving in action-oriented and meaningful attempts that could effectively
address the concerns of the environment, the federal government is notably constrained. This has

led to the limitation of the impact of nation-wide policy on environmental implementation. When
there are attempts by the federal government to implement any significant policy on the
environment, there is a requirement by the strength of the provinces to participate in the
collaborative negotiations. The negotiation process normally involves overcoming several
obstacles.
In conclusion, it is persuasive to believe that environmental destruction by the coal
mining company in Canada has contributed in one way or the other to migration patterns of the
birds. While activists may be faulted for serving the personal interest in their claim that
expansion of Cardinal River was likely to introduce advance and complicate environmental
degradation, the plea from the residents should never be treated as mere rhetoric(Copp 2016).
The government should be reminded about the principle of upholding the rule of law and
completely affect the section which deals with the conservation of the migratory pattern of the
birds. Also, it is important to note that the level of destruction that is yet to be experienced by
having the Cardinal River expanded may not be commensurate to the befits that will be reaped
from the mining process. The environmental conservation should, therefore, take precedence
over job creation and other economic activities for the sake of not only the present generation but
also the future generation.

References
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