Home / Environment / Coal Mine Spill Fouls Alberta River Tributary
Coal Mine Spill Fouls Alberta River Tributary
19 May
Summary
- Mine wastewater flooded a river tributary west of Edmonton with sediment.
- Alberta Energy Regulator issued an order against Prairie Mines.
- Company previously fined millions for dike failure and spills.
A coal mine operator is under scrutiny from the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) following a significant sediment spill into a river tributary. The incident occurred at Prairie Mines and Royalty ELC's Coal Valley Mine operations, located southwest of Edson, Alberta.
A berm collapse at the company's Coal Mine No. 1778 site released mine wastewater, surface runoff, and coal sediment into an unnamed tributary of the Lovett River. This tributary eventually flows into the Pembina River and then the Athabasca River watershed.
The AER issued an environmental protection order on May 7, 2026, requiring Prairie Mines to take immediate steps to limit environmental damage. This includes assessing impacts on fish and wildlife, identifying affected river users, and submitting plans for habitat rehabilitation and the humane euthanasia of impacted animals.
Prairie Mines has a history of environmental non-compliance. In June 2017, the company was fined $3.5 million for federal violations related to a 2013 tailings pond failure. Additional provincial fines of $925,000 and nearly $110,000 for other violations were also imposed.
