Northback outlines water strategy and approval timeline

Northback Holdings updated Crowsnest Pass council on its regulatory process, water licence application and proposed approach to water management for the Grassy Mountain project.

Mike Young appeared before council with Daina Lazzarotto during the May 26 meeting. Young said the company is continuing through the Alberta Energy Regulator process after the final terms of reference for the Environmental Impact Assessment Report were issued.

Young said Northback had submitted project initiation materials, after which the regulator determined an environmental impact assessment report would be required. A draft term of reference was then released for public comment, followed by final terms of reference for the report.

The Environmental Impact Assessment Report and integrated application have not yet been completed or made available to the public. Young said the report is expected later this year, though he did not give an exact date.

Once submitted, the application would be made public and would trigger the statement of concern process.

Young said the Alberta Energy Regulator has changed how statements of concern are handled. He said the process now allows statements from people who oppose an application and from people who support it.

Young also clarified Northback’s Water Act application, saying the company is not proposing to draw water directly from local creeks or streams for operations. Instead, he said Northback plans to collect water from precipitation and mine dewatering, store it and use it later.

Young said the company has applied for a term water licence for 100-acre feet.

He compared the approach to irrigation storage, where water is collected during high flows and used later during low flow periods.

“We won’t be drawing water from the creeks,” said Young.

Young said the application includes a memo from Hatfield, which examined different water management scenarios. He said the preferred option would collect water during high flow periods and store it for later use.

Councillor Dean Ward asked whether the province’s proposed 120-day approval process for major projects would affect Northback. Young said the company has no indication that it does.

Young said the company is expecting roughly a two-year approval process after the integrated application is submitted, followed by about two years of construction before production.

Councillors also asked about water quality and selenium. Mayor Pat Rypien said questions she hears about the project often come back to water and selenium.

Young said water that does not come into contact with mine workings would be separated from water that does. Water that comes into contact with mine areas would be stored, tested and treated if required.

He said treatment technology has changed significantly in recent years.

“I’m confident we will manage selenium very, very well,” said Young.

Council also asked about the quality of coal at Grassy Mountain. Young said steelmakers blend different types of metallurgical coal to achieve the product they need and said Northback believes its product is desirable for future customers.

Young said more information will be included in the application when it is completed.