In the last months of 2022 and early 2023, Nancy Cody along with Jay Gilden knocked on doors in the village of Telkwa for signatures on a petition. The petition they had was to encourage an open discourse with Telkwa Coal (and their scientists and experts) to discuss the environmental impacts of the proposed coal mine 7 kilometres outside of the village.
They gathered over 400 signatures and handed it to MLA for Stikine, Nathan Cullen to present in BC Legislature.
Telkwa Coal Limited proposes to construct and operate the Tenas Project, an open pit coal mine with an estimated production rate of 750,000 to 825,000 tonnes of metallurgical coal per year and an expected lifespan of 25 years. Telkwa Coal is one company owned by Allegiance Coal, an Australian company with operating mines in southeast Colorado, central Alabama, as well as a development project in northwest British Columbia (Telkwa).
What Matters In Our Valley (WMIOV) is a grassroots organization created in 2017, a year after the Telkwa Coal Project was made public to Telkwa residents. WMIOV were immediately concerned with conservation of the rivers, water, fish, wildlife, air and the quality of life afforded to the residents of the Bulkley Valley (especially along the Telkwa River).
WMIOV have hired independent contractors, geologists, environmental scientists, engineers, and mining experts to help formulate scientific proof of the effect this proposed coal mine would have on the valley. What Matters In Our Valley are concerned with selenium numbers in water, acid rock drainage, toxins released into estuaries that feed into sacred headwaters, as well as noise, air quality, as well as associated risks of running a cola mine (such as drainage pool failures and damn breaks).
Tenas Project has held 3 open houses to the public (2 of which were online during the pandemic), and What Matters In Our Valley is asking them to agree to a more rigorous environmental assessment process to address the points they have raised through research as well as an open discourse.
Tenas Coal has not agreed to the open discourse.
Listen to the link below for the full interview with members of What Matters In Our Valley: Nancy Cody and Jay Gilden.