The District of Sparwood will install two cameras to document airborne dust caused by a nearby coal mine.
It comes after public outcry over what residents described as “black rain” falling from the sky and soiling clothing and property last month.
At the time, the mining company said the dust was triggered by a blast at its Elkview operation and carried into the community by a combination of unusual wind and localized showers.
It reassured residents there was no health or environmental risk associated with the “short-term, isolated dust incident”.
However, the District of Sparwood has decided to monitor the blasts and other changes in the landscape using cameras that will be mounted on the District Office and Fire Hall #3, and aimed towards the mine.
District of Sparwood Chief Administrative Officer Terry Melcer said the cameras would be built into the existing network, which would keep costs at about “a couple of thousand”.
“From time to time, we have some blast events that are… creating a fair bit of a dust and unless you’re actually out taking a photo at that time – it dissipates pretty fast, maybe within a half hour or so you wouldn’t have that – so it’s creating some historical record and it’s also a long term view of the Baldy Ridge extension permit,” she said.
The cameras will have long range capabilities but will not capture any individuals.
Teck has been advised of the council’s plan.
Melcer said it was unclear how many complaints the District had received about airborne dust.
“We’re actually just trying to get a better handle on that because our members of council get a lot of it in passing,” she said.
“They’re not actually logged, you might be in the grocery store and somebody makes a comment.
“Teck has a very dedicated process (where) they log feedback and they report on it back to us, and back to the environmental assessment office,” she said.
“If somebody says ‘look, I don’t want to file a complaint directly’, we’ll send it through, but a lot of it is just conversations on the street, so we’re trying to get a better handle on that.”
No health impacts were identified during the environmental assessment process for the mine extension, according to Melcer.
Teck’s Manager of Social Responsibility Nic Milligan said the company had an extensive dust management program in place.
“This includes at our Elkview operation near Sparwood where we have six mister trucks to keep active road and pit areas wetted to minimize dust generation,” he said.
Teck is also undertaking an air flow modelling study to better predict dust from blasts and the effect of weather, and is evaluating new blasting technologies and practices.
“We value being good neighbours, and we are committed to continually improving our performance,” said Milligan.
