Operator of five coalmines in the Elk Valley committed to health of Elk River
By Letters to the editor
Editor, The Nelson Daily
A recent study out of the U.S. has generated much discussion about the health of the Elk River.
As the operator of five steelmaking coal mines in the Elk Valley, which employ over 4,000 people who live in the region, we take environmental issues very seriously.
Our people raise their families in the Valley, fish in the river and recreate in the outdoors, and care deeply about ensuring the environment is protected.
We agree that the continued health of the Elk River is essential. That is why we have developed a Valley-wide Selenium Management Action Plan, which is one of the largest water quality management programs of its kind in the world.
The plan outlines significant measures to protect aquatic health while supporting sustainable mining activities in the Elk Valley.
This includes investments by Teck over the next five years of up to $600 million on the installation of water diversion and treatment facilities, investments in research and development to improve selenium management, and ongoing aquatic monitoring.
We have completed construction of several water diversions to prevent water from contacting selenium at our operations, and construction is currently underway on our first water treatment plant at Line Creek Operations.
It’s important to clarify that a moratorium on permitting coal mining in the Valley is not a sustainable solution.
Our Line Creek application is not about expanding production – it is about continued operation of an existing mine.
These mines in the Elk Valley employ over 4,000 people directly and support thousands of families and communities that rely on the industry across our province.
At Teck, we are committed to responsible resource development. Our sustainability practices have been ranked in the top two percent of mining companies world-wide, and we were recently named the most sustainable company in Canada in the Global 100 most sustainable corporations ranking.
We take the challenge of maintaining the health of the Elk River watershed very seriously and are focused on working with all stakeholders to implement solutions that protect both the ecological and economic health of the region.
Marcia Smith
Senior Vice President, Sustainability and External Affairs
Teck Resources Limited
