CST Canada Coal requests the AER to disregard AWA’s concerns

June 26, 2026

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• Coal
• Headwaters
• Kakwa

On May 20, 2026, AWA submitted a Statement of Concern (SOC) to the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) on the Applications (#: 1961168, 020-00155804) by CST Canada Coal Ltd. to construct the No. 12 South A Underground Mine at the Grande Cache Coal Mine.

In a previous review of CST’s recent and available air, water, soil, and wildlife monitoring reports by a toxicological expert, it was apparent that current management practices are not performing as expected and require updating to reduce the impacts of CST’s existing operations on the environment.

AWA believes that CST’s monitoring and mitigation efforts are insufficient to protect the landscape, watershed, and atmosphere, and requested that any consideration of the project be denied until these issues are resolved.

The SOC was accepted and registered by the AER on May 21, which requires that CST respond to the concerns raised.

We received CST’s response on June 18, which did not address any of the concerns raised regarding the impacts of its operations on air, water, soil and wildlife. Instead, CST dismissed each of these issues in turn stating that it follows the monitoring and reporting guidelines set out in its regulatory approvals.

CST additionally requested AWA’s SOC be disregarded entirely, because it believes AWA is not “directly and adversely affected”.

AWA sent a letter to the AER on June 26, asking that the AER uphold its own mandate and enforce the legislation it is responsible for by ensuring the companies that are noncompliant with regulatory terms and conditions do not get to expand operations. AWA’s letter can be read in full here:

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