Riversdale Resources is still waiting for joint panel approval, reported Alisdair Gibbons, General Manager of the Grassy Mountain Coal Project, at a Council meeting on July 4.

The next update from Riversdale is scheduled for September 25 at 1:30 p.m. in Council chambers.

Regulatory update

Riversdale has answered over 700 questions from the public, the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (CEAA) since November 2017, shortly after they were issued the Notice of Application in October 2017.

At this time, Riversdale is awaiting on government approval to announce the panel. Once the joint panel review is appointed, it’s a 40-month process where the panel reviews all documentation, hosts public consultations and open houses and, once they complete their analysis, announce a decision on behalf of the province and a recommendation to the Minister of Environment on behalf of the federal government. The Minister of Environment then has five months to make a decision

The process is expected to take a maximum of 40 months, but could potentially be completed in a shorter time period.

Ongoing work

As the company waits for the joint panel to be approved, Riversdale has ongoing studies taking place throughout the summer. Fish studies continue through Hatfield Consultants and Indigenous site visits occur regularly.

“We’ve had Siksika and Kainai come up here last week. They're coming in again to look at looking at areas important for them,” says Gibbons.

Workforce

Riversdale is in the process of hiring an engineering manager, a construction manager, a senior mining engineer and a project engineer to add to their current team of 16 people.

If the permit is issued, the Riversdale workforce is expected to double in one year, and be followed by a rapid acceleration on labour recruitment once construction begins.

Engineering

Riversdale is in the process of assembling tender documentation and civil work materials required for construction projects. Project designs are expected to be completed by the end of summer and will then go out to tender.

From their information booths, Riversdale has noted a prevalent concern among the public about the load out, around issues like dust, noise and visual appearance. The company has created more concept drawings and schematics of what the loadout would look like from highway. The load out will be the focus of an information booth at the end of July and will include these concept drawings.

Riversdale will have a booth at the Crowsnest Community Market every second week of the vent. The next Riversdale booth will be at the July 12 market.

Golf course

Three tenders for construction will be going out within the next one to two weeks for the snack shack, maintenance and the clubhouse. These buildings are expected to be operational by spring 2019, although Gibbons noted that the clubhouse may be a challenge to have ready for that time.

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