11 Comments
User's avatar
Gail Silvius's avatar

With your permission will use your reply to fashion something So little of this covered in media in Edmonton. Appreciate your work.

Expand full comment
Robert Costa's avatar

Permission granted quite happily. Keep reading the posts and formulate a dialogue which you can share in whatever ways you can find. Thank you.

Expand full comment
Erik Fischer's avatar

How long would it take Grassy Mountain Mine to empty the Oldman Reservoir?

Expand full comment
Lise Mayne's avatar

I hope this letter is circulated far and wide. It explains exactly what we are dealing with. I haven't been able to grow a decent garden in Nanton for ten years. I water my flowers, and get a few beets. It just takes too much effort to water twice a day, with water I've retrieved from rinse water and even having a bucket in the shower. Why are we in this position? Who will benefit from these coal mines? Not our children or grandchildren. And no one is mentioning the devastation to wildlife. I am a bluebird and tree swallow monitor on the Eastern slopes. Our group has over 5000 boxes, necessary to help these second-cavity nesters who are suffering from habitat loss, noise pollution, light pollution, lack of insects... Our numbers are down 50%. If this goes through, fish, birds, and all wildlife will be decimated. We must communicate clearly that this cannot go through. The cost is too high, for all of us.

Expand full comment
Erik Fischer's avatar

Why are the numbers down now? What is the extent of the 5000 boxes? Can you provide a map?

Expand full comment
Lise Mayne's avatar

Have a look at our website mountainbluebird.org for our reports and more information. We send our reports to Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ellis Bird Farm and the North American Bluebird Society.

Expand full comment
Erik Fischer's avatar

Thanks. I can't see any site specific data for Grassy Mountain. Can you help me find some?

Amazing picture of the chick that had a big larvae stuffed down its gullet. Wow.

Expand full comment
Lise Mayne's avatar

No it’s not specific. Our range is huge. This is a général trend consistent in Nord America.

Expand full comment
Lise Mayne's avatar

Sorry my text went to French! It’s the same across North America. See reports on Birds Canada and Cornell.

Expand full comment
Gail Silvius's avatar

Hello. I think I already asked

What would you like Albertans to do? I sent my letter to Brian Jean. How can we in other parts of Alberta support you? I dont have a UCP MLA

Expand full comment
Robert Costa's avatar

Hi Gail. I do recall the question. The difficulty is in finding the time to respond and also having things get lost along the way. I woke up the other morning to 193 new emails. I'm involved in a lot more than just postings and currently interacting with 34 different groups fighting this thing. It's pretty hectic to say the least and I greatly, as do all of us in this, appreciate your willingness to help. Keep writing letters. Call the govt offices. We are soon doing a blitz campaign that will posted on Crowsnest Headwaters. Organize protests. Are you in the Ag sector? If so, spread the word about contaminant effects on water, bioaccumulation in the food chain, work with your conservation partners, ie. CPAWS, AWA, Chinook Watershed Crew, follow FaceBook - Protect Alberta's Rockies and Headwaters, Save Our Slopes, Mountains Not Mines. Lots of info out there. Find your way. Hope this helps.

Expand full comment