Canada's Environment Minister Peter Kent has set up public review of coal regulations, to take effect in 2015. At the same time Maxim Coal in Alberta is proposing a new coal plant that would pump out three million tonnes of pollution per year. Maxim's is the only new coal power plant being proposed in Canada.
Over forty diverse civil society organizations from across Canada signed a letter during summer 2011 calling on federal Environment Minister Peter Kent to protect the integrity of Canada's forthcoming coal regulations. They asked the minister to ensure that no proposal evades Ottawa's coal rules.
"Coal is the worst offender among fossil fuels when it comes to producing the pollution that cause global warming," says Steven Guilbeault of Équiterre. "Studies have shown that Alberta can meet its future electricity needs without building new coal plants."
Recently Minister Kent has said he never intended to create a loophole that would prompt companies to build rule-breaking plants quickly.
"I'm sending a strong message that Canadians don't want that to happen, and these regs weren't designed to allow it to happen," Minister Kent said in a media interview.
View September 10, 2011 Winnipeg Free Press article
View September 9, 2011 Climate Action Network Canada News Release
Visit LeadNow.ca
View August 11, 2011 Équiterre article
View September 9, 2011 CTV News article
View Manitoba Wildlands Canada Climate Change Initiatives page
Source:
NUPGE, David Suzuki.org, Sierra Club Canada, Climate Action Network Canada, Équiterre
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