It was an issue many thought had been settled, but the debate over open-pit mining in Alberta’s Eastern Slopes has been reignited.

In 2020, public outcry forced the province to put a moratorium on nearly all new coal exploration and development in the Eastern Slopes. However, Alberta's energy minister, Brian Jean, lifted the moratorium last month to help reduce regulatory confusion around coal mining.

Rancher Kelly Hall, owner of the Timber Ridge conservation site west of Nanton, worries about the potential contamination of the water supply if mining proceeds.

"We're extremely concerned because of the health risks that are involved," says Hall. "Selenium and other heavy metals like arsenic could be present in our water system."