The Saturday, December 23, 2006 online edition of the Vancouver Sun published a good overview of energy development efforts and trends in British Columbia. It provides important context for the threats posed by coal mining and coalbed methane development to the transboundary Flathead watershed . . .
In a province long defined by forestry and mining -- and their many accompanying controversies -- energy is the next big sector. Coal-fired electricity plants and coalbed methane wells are popping up in communities around B.C.
Sometime next month, the Liberal government of B.C. is expected to introduce a new package of policies dealing with B.C.'s future in the realm of energy.
Expect controversy.
Since the previous version of the B.C. Energy Plan was introduced a little over four years ago, the sector encompassing everything from a $5-billion a year natural gas exploration industry to a wish list of wind-generated electricity projects has emerged as the most dynamic of all of the province's resource-based sectors.
Corporate tax incentives and hungry market forces are opening new frontiers for exploration of fossil fuels such as natural gas and coalbed methane.
Read the entire article . . .