From the Tuesday, January 16, 2007 online edition of the Missoulian . . .
A controversial coal mine proposal north of Glacier National Park is fast becoming an international point of contention, and may soon require federal attention from both sides of the U.S.-Canadian border.
That's the word from Gov. Brian Schweitzer, who on Monday told a crowd of more than 200 that although he appreciates the ongoing collaborative efforts with British Columbian officials, “I think this is now going to be in the lap of the State Department.”
The U.S. State Department and its Canadian counterpart have the power to refer transboundary water disputes to an international commission for resolution. Two decades ago, a similar Canadian coal mine plan raised similar concerns - specifically that mine pollutants would impact waterways south of the border.
The two federal governments intervened, empowering a binational panel that declared the mine unworkable in 1988.
That level of consideration, Schweitzer said, appears needed again.
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