Notice of Application
Application Nos:
- Coal Conservation Act (CCA) 1957562, 1957563, and 1957564;
- Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act (EPEA): 018-00301345;
- Public Lands Act (PLA): 32942635, 33229793, 33229831, 33229946, 33229955 and 33230091; and
- Water Act (WA) 001-00508467 and 001-00508469.
Coalspur Mines (Operations) Limited
Vista Coal Project
The Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) has received Coal Conservation Act (CCA) Application Nos. 1957562, 1957563 and 1957564, Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act (EPEA) Application No. 018-00301345, Water Act (WA) Applications Nos. 001-00508469 and No. 001-00508469, and Public Lands Act (PLA) Application Nos. 32942635, 33229793, 33229831, 33229946, 33229955 and 33230091 from Coalspur Mines (Operations) Ltd. (Coalspur) for its Vista Coal Mine – Phase II Project. The AER is reviewing the integrated application together with the associated environmental impact assessment (EIA) report.
This notice also sets out the deadline for filing statements of concern (SOC) on this integrated application. See the section below on how to file a SOC for filing dates.
Description of the Application
Coalspur has applied under the CCA, EPEA, WA, and PLA to operate the Vista Coal Mine – Phase II Project (the Project), an open pit surface coal mine in the Arbour, Val d’Or, McLeod, and McPherson seams with highwall mining proposed in each seam of coal. The Project is located east of Hinton in Yellowhead County in portions of Sections 10 to 15, Township 051, Range 24 W5M and portions of Sections 07 and 18, Township 051, Range 23, W5M.
The Project would be a westward continuation of Coalspur’s approved and operational Vista Coal Mine (Phase I). The Project would use the existing infrastructure from Phase I, such as: coal processing facilities (including refuse production facilities), primary access roads and the coal loadout facility. The mined coal would be transported by rail to west coast ports in British Columbia, then shipped via ocean vessels to foreign markets. Coalspur plans to operate Phases I and II in an integrated fashion to maintain annual production at an average 5.5 Mt (million clean tonnes of coal).
Coalspur is applying for a fenceline Water Act Approval for the industrial wastewater system, including all settling ponds and associated ditches, and the diversion of water for the purpose of industrial processing.
The source of water includes surface water diversion from the McLeod River as well as surface water and groundwater tributary to the McLeod River.
The point of diversion (POD) includes all point where water is diverted from the sources of water within the boundary of the proposed fenceline. The representative POD is SW 20-051-23 W5M.
As part of the Water Act Licence Application, Coalspur is requesting the following maximum water diversion volumes:
- Surface Water – 474,000 m3;
- Surface Water (McLeod River) – 3,679,000 m3;
- Groundwater – 1,253,000 m3;
- Total – 5,406,000 m3.
Coalspur has also submitted an EIA report. This EIA report forms part of the applications to the AER.
For a copy of the application, contact:
Coalspur Mines (Operations) Limited
PO Box 6416
Hinton, Alberta T7V 1X5
Attention: Amanda Buchanan
Telephone: 780-865-7955
E-mail: abuchanan@bighornmining.com
To view the applications and supporting documents, use the Integrated Application Registry (IAR) query tool available under Systems & Tools on the AER website, www.aer.ca. To receive a copy of the application and supporting documents, submit an information request, as outlined at www1.aer.ca/ProductCatalogue/ordering.html, to:
AER Information Distribution Services
Suite 1000, 250 – 5 Street SW
Calgary, Alberta T2P 0R4
Telephone: 1-855-297-8311 (toll free; option 0)
Fax: 403-297-7040
Email: InformationRequest@aer.ca
Refer to this notice when requesting information for a faster response.
Copies of the application will also be available at:
Alberta Government Library
44 Capital Boulevard
11th Floor, 10044 – 108 Street
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 5E6
Telephone: 780-427-2985
(toll free: 780-310-0000)
www.alberta.ca/environmental-impact-assessments
Requirement to File a Statement of Concern
If you have concerns with this application, you must file a statement of concern as described below. If you do not file a statement of concern, the AER may approve the application without further notification.
How to File a Statement of Concern
For your submission to be considered a valid statement of concern, it must be filed by 11:59 p.m. on the filing date below. Send one copy of your statement of concern to Coalspur Mines (Operations) Limited (Coalspur) at the name and address above and one copy either online via the AER’s web-based form or by mail or email:
Mail or email:
Regulatory Applications
Alberta Energy Regulator
Suite 1000, 250 – 5 Street SW
Calgary, Alberta T2P 0R4
Fax: 403-297-7336
Email: SOC@aer.ca
Statement of Concern filing date: Thursday, May 22, 2025
Contents of a Statement of Concern
For your submission to be considered a valid statement of concern, it must include:
a) why you believe that you may be directly and adversely affected by a decision of the AER on the application;
b) the nature of your objection to the application;
c) the outcome of the application that you advocate;
d) the location of your land, residence, or activity in relation to the location of the energy resource activity that is the subject of the application; and
e) your contact information, including your name, address in Alberta, telephone number, and e-mail address or, if you do not have an e-mail address, your fax number.
Confidentiality
Section 49 of the Alberta Energy Regulator Rules of Practice (Rules of Practice) requires that all documents and information filed in a proceeding be placed on the public record. If you file a submission, you must not include any personal information that you do not want to appear on or are not authorized to put on the public record. Section 49(2) of the Rules of Practice states how to apply to the AER for an order to keep information confidential. The Rules of Practice is available on the AER website at www.aer.ca.
Jurisdiction
Submissions relating exclusively to compensation for land use are not dealt with by the AER and should be referred to the Alberta Surface Rights Board.
Under section 21 of the Responsible Energy Development Act, the AER does not have the jurisdiction to assess the adequacy of Crown consultation associated with the rights of Aboriginal peoples as recognized and affirmed under the Constitution Act, 1982.
For information on AER procedures, contact the regulatory applications specialist, Camille Almeida, by phone at 780-642-9113 or by email to camille.almeida@aer.ca
Issued at Calgary, Alberta, on April 17, 2025.
ALBERTA ENERGY REGULATOR
