From the Thursday, August 12, 2004 issue of the Daily Inter Lake . . .
Rep. Dennis Rehberg has joined Montana's governor in calling on Canada's federal government to require an environmental study of potential impacts of coal-bed methane development in British Columbia.
In letters to Secretary of State Colin Powell and Canadian Foreign Minister Pierre Pettigrew, Rehberg, R-Mont., requests that the U.S. and Canadian governments petition the International Joint Commission to review concerns that have been raised.
The British Columbia provincial government intends to publicly auction coal-bed methane leases in the upper Flathead and Elk River drainages on Aug. 25, clearing the way for companies to begin exploration for methane gas.
The provincial government intends to proceed with the auction without first conducting an environmental assessment outlining the potential cumulative impacts caused by gas exploration or development.
Montana organizations and individuals are concerned about potential downstream impacts that could cross the border into Montana. Opposition has also been voiced in British Columbia communities such as Fernie.
Read the entire article . . .