May 02, 2004

Coal Mining and Coal Bed Methane Projects Threaten Canadian North Fork -- Flathead Coalition Re-Energized

Immediate Action Requested!

Recent announcements by British Columbia officials and the Cline Mining Company of Ontario to explore for Coal Bed Methane gas and to open the long dormant Sage Creek Coal mine in the Canadian Flathead River have alarmed the citizens of the Flathead valley. These two projects directly threaten our water quality, fisheries, wildlife habitat and the integrity of the Waterton - Glacier International Peace Park and Biosphere Reserve. These threats are imminent and immediate, with CBM leases and coal testing to occur between now and June of this year. Your action is needed on two fronts:

What You Can Do:

1) Please attend the Flathead Basin Commission meeting on Monday, May 3, 2004 at 9:30 a.m. at the Outlaw Inn in Kalispell. The CEO of Cline Mining will be there to make a statement. Other important information will be provided. It is vital that the Flathead Valley show up to demonstrate its concern about Cline's coal mining project and the CBM proposal.

2) Please attend the reorganization meeting for the Flathead Coalition. Local citizens created the Flathead Coalition in 1975 in response to the first Canadian coal mine threat to the North Fork. The Flathead Coalition helped defeat that first mine proposal. The organization has remained alive but dormant in anticipation of the present coal mining threat. The Coalition has one purpose only, to protect the water of the Flathead. The current industrial proposals directly threaten our water quality. The Flathead Coalition is a very broad based organization supported by civic, commercial, and conservation groups from across the Flathead valley. There will be an informational meeting on Thursday, May 20 at 7:00 p.m. in the KM Building Mezzanine.

Posted by nfpa at May 2, 2004 04:07 PM