Overview
- Lund submitted a citizen‑initiative application seeking a law that permanently blocks any new coal mining on the Rocky Mountain Eastern Slopes.
- The petition cannot begin until Elections Alberta signs off, after which supporters would have 120 days to gather 177,752 valid signatures from Alberta residents.
- The proposed question states: “The Government of Alberta shall prohibit by law any and all new coal mining activities, including new approvals and permits, within the Eastern Slopes of the Rocky Mountains.”
- Alberta Energy and Minerals Minister Brian Jean said the government will let the process run but argued metallurgical coal remains a valuable resource if mined to protect water, wildlife and people.
- The push follows the province’s January decision to lift its coal moratorium, related legal claims that led to about $240 million in settlements, and renewed activity at the contested Grassy Mountain site with exploration approved in May.