From the Friday, May 27, 2005 online edition of Mineweb out of Johannesburg, South Africa . . .
[This write-up contains background information I've not seen in any previous articles.]
Montana's Governor has asked U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to get the International Joint Commission involved in the fight between his state and the British Columbia Ministry of Mines over a proposed open-pit coal mine near Fernie, B.C.
This is the second time in less than a year that a U.S. state has gone to the International Joint Commission to resolve a dispute concerning alleged U.S. pollution generated by Canadian mining operations.
Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer, U.S. Senator Max Baucus, D-Montana, and the Montana Legislature have all expressed their objection to the proposed coaking coal project near the BC/Montana border. Cline Mining Corp., whose major shareholder is The Mitsui Matsushima group of Japan, has ownership of the property which was originally explored by Rio Algom in the 1970s.
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From the Friday, May 27, 2005 online edition of the Missoulian . . .
Gov. Brian Schweitzer has taken the biggest step yet toward resolving a transboundary water dispute between Montana and British Columbia, asking the U.S. State Department to initiate bi-national scientific review.
To date, several resolutions have been passed calling for a baseline study into the impact of energy development in Canada's Flathead Valley, but no direct appeal has been made to the State Department.
Schweitzer did so in a May 24 letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, asking that her office join with Canada's Foreign Affairs Department in requesting involvement by the International Joint Commission. The commission can only be engaged by referral from both federal governments.
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From the Thursday, May 26, 2005 online edition of the Globe and Mail . . .
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has been asked to have the International Joint Commission review a Canadian company's proposal to mine millions of tonnes of coal in British Columbia's Flathead Valley.
In a letter to Ms. Rice, Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer says the proposed mine, together with possible coal bed methane gas projects in the area, could pollute the Flathead River, which runs south into Montana in a region known for its wild and scenic parks.
"We believe that discharges from new coal mining and coal bed methane activities . . . pose grave threats to the integrity of the trans-boundary Flathead River, Flathead Lake, and to Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, the world's first Peace Park," Mr. Schweitzer said in the letter sent on Tuesday.
"To ensure the long-term integrity of this international treasure, and to work toward dispute prevention, the State of Montana urges you to refer the trans-boundary Flathead issue to the International Joint Commission."
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From the Thursday, May 26, 2005 online edition of Canada.com's Vancouver city site . . .
Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer has taken his frustrations with British Columbia's mining policy to Washington, asking for a scientific assessment before potential open pit drilling poses an environmental hazard to his state.
While there is currently no open pit mining, the province has granted a permit for test drilling at a site in Fernie, B.C., raising concerns for its neighbours to the south.
In a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Schweitzer urged that the United States, in co-operation with Canada, ask the International Joint Commission to determine the environmental feasibility of open pit mining and methane gas extraction.
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From a note posted by John Frederick on May 20th . . .
"In Eureka today at a meeting concerning snowmobiling in the Ten Lakes Wilderness Study Area, I met Darris Flanagan, author of Indian Trails of the Northern Rockies, which deals extensively with the trail along Graves/Yakinikak/Trail/Kishenehn/Kishenehna Creeks used by the Kootenai Indians to hunt Buffalo on the other side of what now is Waterton National Park. Mr. Flanagan lives on the family land along Graves Creek."
"He has agreed to be the featured speaker at the annual meeting of the North Fork Preservation Association."
The meeting is scheduled for 7:30 pm on July 30th. It will be preceded by a potluck at 5:30 pm and the business meeting (election of officers) at 7:00 pm.