AER coal hearings going ahead despite appeal

Hearings on a proposed coal project in Alberta's Crowsnest Pass will go ahead despite legal challenges. The Municipal District of Ranchland appealed the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) hearing, claiming the coal-mining exploration application shouldn't have been accepted in the first place. "Our reaction, of course, is disappointment," said Ron Davis, reeve of the MD of Ranchland. "Now, they would suggest going ahead with the hearings, particularly given that we look to appeal that whole process.