August 12, 2004

Congressman gets involved in Canadian coal bed methane dispute

From the Thursday, August 12, 2004 issue of the Hungry Horse News . . .

Congressman Denny Rehberg has asked the International Joint Commission to get involved in a coal bed methane dispute between British Columbia and Montana.

The Canadian province plans to auction off leases for coal bed methane development in coal fields about 15 miles north of Glacier National Park.

In a letter dated Aug. 10, Montana's only congressman asked Secretary of State Colin Powell and Pierre Pettigrew, the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, to petition the IJC.

The IJC is an independent bi-national organization established by the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909. Its purpose is to help prevent and resolve disputes relating to the use and quality of boundary waters and to advise Canada and the United States on related questions.

A host of Montana interests have raised concerns that coal bed methane development in the North Fork of the Flathead and the Kootenai drainages would harm both Montana fish and wildlife.

Read the entire article . . .

Posted by nfpa at August 12, 2004 10:11 AM