Here’s an insightful follow-up article on last weekend’s Western governors meeting, written by Michael Jamison and posted to the Missoulian’s website early this morning . . .
A plan to forever protect Canadian wildlands north of Glacier National Park — and to pay for those protections — is slowly taking shape, cobbled together by an international coalition that includes local, state and federal partners.
Here’s the Associated Press take on last weekend’s Western governors meeting in Whitefish. This story is getting some national coverage. From yesterday’s Billings Gazette . . .
Gov. Brian Schweitzer isn’t done jousting with federal officials over a deal with Canada to protect the area surrounding Glacier National Park.
Montana’s governor used the bully pulpit over the weekend as chairman of the Western governors to again criticize his federal partners in the deal — even as the Obama administration was talking with the Canada about moving the state-level pact along.
Coverage of last weekend’s western governor’s conference in Whitefish from the Flathead Beacon . . .
Gov. Brian Schweitzer called on Montana’s federal delegation Sunday to support legislation by Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, dedicated to restoring the Columbia River Basin, as a way to fund commitments in the agreement between Montana and British Columbia to protect the North Fork from mining and drilling in Canada.
“Don’t be running after the bus, get on the bus and sit beside the driver,” Schweitzer said. “And this bill is the vehicle.”
From todays’ Flathead Beacon, more fussing about the July deadline for implementing the provisions of the memorandum of understanding signed by Montana Gov. Schweitzer and BC Premier Campbell during the Winter Olympics . . .
The historic agreement banning natural resource development along the North Fork Flathead River, signed by Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer and British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell earlier this year, contains language saying the retirement of oil, gas and mineral leases must be completed by July.
It is a deadline, Schweitzer acknowledged last week, “in doubt.”
From today’s Missoulian. Recommended reading . . .
An agreement to protect the American and Canadian sides of the Flathead River Basin from mining and energy extraction is holding together, even though snags have developed in financing the deal.
Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer met with British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell in Victoria on Wednesday and returned with assurances their memorandum of understanding on the Flathead’s protection would survive a July deadline.
Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer is annoyed at the slow progress retiring mining leases in the Canadian Flathead — not because the Canadians are dragging their feet, but because he feels the U.S. government is not doing their part. However, there seems to be two sides to this story.
Here’s an AP article from the 4th of June providing a good overview of Schweitzer’s stance:
Gov. Brian Schweitzer said Thursday that he’s disappointed the federal government hasn’t come up with about $17 million needed to compensate mining companies as part of a deal with Canada to protect the area surrounding Glacier National Park.
The joint U.S.-Canada deal seeks to halt ongoing exploration and calls for a stop to future development of gold, coal, oil and gas in much of the Flathead River Basin. The basin sprawls across some 9,000 square miles and straddles the border.
Schweitzer and British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell signed the memorandum of understanding in February. It lays out several goals, including the compensation of two small companies that will have to walk away from their mines.
And here’s an editorial by Kellyn Brown of the Flathead Beacon questioning Schweitzer’s view:
It’s hard to know what to make of Gov. Brian Schweitzer’s recent criticism of his “federal partners” for, according to him, failing to secure $17 million to compensate Canadian mining companies so they will abandon their mining leases near Glacier National Park.
From today’s Missoulian comes a must-read discussion of what’s not being said about the recent announcement of a mining ban in the Canadian Flathead watershed . . .
To sense the delicacy of an international mining ban along the North Fork of the Flathead River, it helps to hear what isn’t being said.
Note: We’ve also posted the February 9th “Flathead Watershed Area Order” that triggered all the excitement and discussion.
The government of British Columbia has signed an order that apparently bans mining and other resource extraction activity in the Canadian Flathead watershed. The Missoulian has a good write-up, including a map . . .
British Columbia’s government has formalized its promise to protect wildlands north of Glacier National Park, signing a legislative order that effectively bans mining in the Canadian Flathead.
Called the Flathead Watershed Area Order, the law signed Tuesday completely reverses a longstanding land-use plan for the area, which gave drilling and mining primacy over all other uses.
We’re starting to see more — and more detailed — coverage of British Columbia’s decision to forgo resource extraction activities in the Canadian Flathead River Valley. Two good articles appeared today.
The Daily Inter Lake did a nice, balanced job . . .
The lieutenant governor of British Columbia announced Tuesday that all types of mining and oil and gas development “will not be permitted” in the province’s portion of the Flathead Valley.
It was news that was well received in Montana.
Unsurprisingly, the Environmental News Service write-up was a bit heavier on quotes from various environmental outfits, but also includes considerable background information . . .
Mining and drilling for oil, gas and coal will be banned in the Canadian portion of the Flathead River Basin, under a new partnership with the state of Montana announced Tuesday in British Columbia’s Speech from the Throne, an annual address that identifies the Province’s legislative priorities for the coming year.
British Columbia Lieutenant Governor Steven Point declared, “A new partnership with Montana will sustain the environmental values in the Flathead River Basin in a manner consistent with current forestry, recreation, guide outfitting and trapping uses. It will identify permissible land uses and establish new collaborative approaches to transboundary issues.”
The folks at Flathead Wild posted a good summary of the high points of the UNESCO World Heritage report on threats to Waterton-Glacier Park, along with links to major press coverage — both print and video.
Here’s the lead-in . . .
Great news for Friends of the Flathead! A UNESCO World Heritage report is recommending a permanent prohibition on mining in the Flathead River Valley. And that a single conservation and wildlife management plan be developed for the entire trans-boundary Flathead region.
The report also says the adjacent Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park should be declared a World Heritage Site in Danger if plans proceed for a controversial Flathead coal strip mine.