Author: Lars Sander-Green

A win for the wild: Federal environmental assessment for Castle

August 19, 2020 by Lars Sander-Green

Teck’s Castle coal mine will have a federal environmental assessment, Federal Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson announced today. That’s good news for fish, bears and other wildlife in BC’s southern Rockies! The Minister ordered the assessment after Wildsight…

Why isn’t Teck’s huge Castle coal mine getting a federal environmental assessment?

July 14, 2020 by Lars Sander-Green

Teck’s Castle coal mine expansion will take down a mountain in the BC Rockies over decades and will become Canada's largest coal mine by production. But under Canada’s environmental assessment rules, the mine apparently doesn’t qualify…

Speak up: Castle mine needs a federal environmental assessment

June 24, 2020 by Lars Sander-Green

Teck’s proposed Castle mine, which will produce more coal than any other mine in the country, won’t have a federal environmental assessment—unless the people demand one.

Do we really need coal to make steel?

June 1, 2020 by Lars Sander-Green

In the Elk Valley, mountain-top removal coal mines dig up millions of tonnes of coal every year. When people ask questions about how these coal mines add to climate change, Teck is always quick to point out that the…

Dangerous waters & empty promises: Teck’s Fording coal mine expansion

May 12, 2020 by Lars Sander-Green

Just downstream of Teck’s 50-square-kilometre Fording River coal mine, cutthroat trout swim in heavily polluted waters. This isolated population of trout, federally listed as a species at risk, recently collapsed, with more than 90% of adult fish…

Take action: Teck proposes huge coal mine expansion

May 12, 2020 by Lars Sander-Green

Teck has proposed a massive 25-square-kilometre expansion of their Fording River coal mine in the upper Elk Valley. The provincial Environmental Assessment for this mountain-top removal coal mine, which would operate for decades, has begun.

Deadly waters: Trout population collapse below Teck coal mines

March 19, 2020 by Lars Sander-Green

Everything has a breaking point. The trout population of the upper Fording River, who have long suffered toxic water pollution from Teck’s Elk Valley coal mines, not to mention destruction of their habitat, have finally reached their breaking point…

Why is Canwel logging endangered whitebark pine in the Elk Valley?

August 14, 2019 by Lars Sander-Green

Conditions for life are tough high on the alpine ridges and in the subalpine valleys of the Rocky Mountains, with bitter winter cold, dry summers, and strong winds all year. A few hardy species, adapted to the difficult conditions, are…

Is it time to clean up mining in BC?

May 15, 2019 by Lars Sander-Green

Here in BC, it’s obvious that we care about our environment—and we like to think that our laws reflect how we feel. But when it comes to mining, the sad truth is that our laws to protect the…

Why is BC allowing toxic water pollution to flow for centuries?

April 18, 2019 by Lars Sander-Green

Teck Coal had a plan to deal with Elk Valley water pollution problems, but the plan hasn’t worked. Is BC going to let Teck delay for years or will they finally stand up and enforce permits that limit water pollution? Without real changes to mining practices, the future is bleak for fish and rivers.