Review Panel needed Teck mine expansion

New coal mines, even if they appear to be expansions of exisitng mining operations, need proper review.  This proposed mine will have serious environmental impacts, in water quality, CO2 emissions, and habitat loss. I am aware of the importance and value of coal mining to the communities of Elkford and Sparwood, but the gains in one community have to be weighed against losses for the rest of us. I support an independent review panel, which uses science and independent experts, as well as public feedback, to determine whether the mine can proceed. The days of easy approvals for coal mining should be over. As coal is the most carbon intensive of all fossil fuels, we need to look carefully at any project that put us on the path to digging up and burning coal for decades into the future.