From the Saturday, March 31, 2007 online edition of the Missoulian . . .
Canada's federal government has agreed to review a controversial coal mine proposal north of Glacier National Park, promising a far more exhaustive environmental analysis than currently planned.
“This is a major breakthrough,” said Barrett Kaiser, spokesman for Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont. “We've been working toward this for a long, long time.”
At issue is a proposal to pull down a mountain in the headwaters of the Canadian Flathead River, sifting 40 tons of coal from the rubble. But the river flows south across the Montana border, forming the western boundary of Glacier Park before pouring into Flathead Lake.
Downstream interests have long said the mine would harm water, wildlife and fisheries south of the border.
In recent weeks, Baucus, the U.S. State Department and Gov. Brian Schweitzer had all appealed to Canada, asking for a more thorough environmental review than that planned by provincial officials in British Columbia.
On Friday, “Max met in person with the Canadian ambassador, specifically to discuss the mine,” Kaiser said.
Ambassador Michael Wilson surprised everyone at the meeting when he confirmed Canada's plans to initiate a federal-level environmental review of the mine.
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