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 . . .
From the Friday, December 22, 2006 online edition of the Daily Inter Lake . . .
British Columbia is about to open a public-comment process on the terms and conditions that will be required of a proposed coal mine in the headwaters of the Flathead Basin.
But state and federal officials in Montana are unsatisfied with the draft “terms of reference” for the Toronto-based Cline Mining Co.’s Lodgepole Mine, so the state likely will conduct a public-comment process of its own.
Rich Moy, chairman of Montana’s Flathead Basin Commission, said the British Columbia provincial government essentially “ignored” recommendations that a Montana delegation submitted on the draft terms of reference.
“We’re appreciative that British Columbia allowed us to participate in the regulatory process regarding the Cline mine,” he said. “We would have hoped that British Columbia would have incorporated our comments, but they did not ... Basically, for the most part, they ignored our issues.”
So the basin commission and other groups in Montana are ramping up a campaign aimed at educating the public about potential ecological impacts that mining in the Canadian Flathead could have south of the border.
Read the entire article . . .
Early this morning, John Frederick posted some useful observations concerning the just-announced call by the British Columbia Environmental Assessment Office for public comment on the proposed Lodgepole Coal Mine Project. Here are his comments, lightly edited for content. (I love it when someone else does my work for me).
For the last five years or so people have asked me what can they do about the proposed Cline Mining Corporation project in the Flathead of British Columbia, which originally was to be located at the site of an earlier mine project we called the Cabin Creek Mine in the U.S. and more properly known as Sage Creek Coal in Canada. In 1989, the earlier mine at this location at Howell and Cabin Creek was rejected by the International Joint Commission as being unsuitable. Next, Cline moved and started exploration on a mountain top with the idea of removing the mountain top to obtain the coal for their proposed Lodgepole Coal Mine Project. However, Foisey Creek flows down this mountain and any silt finding its way into the creek (for instance from the especially-heavy spring run-off) will go into the North Fork of the Flathead River which is known in British Columbia as the Flathead River.
Now is your chance to write to the British Columbia Office of Environmental Assessment. Be certain to carefully read the announcement. You must give reasons why this mine is bad, not just that you don't like it, or your letter may be ignored. See the Flathead Coalition and NFPA websites for more background.
The British Columbia Environmental Assessment Office announced the opening of a public comment period on the Lodgepole Cole Mine Project "Draft Terms of Reference (TOR)." Here are the highlights:
Full text of the invitation for public comment . . .
British Columbia Environmental Assessment Office Invites the Montana Public to Comment on the Lodgepole Coal Mine Project Draft Terms of Reference
The B.C. Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) invites the Montana public to comment on the draft Terms of Reference (TOR) for the Lodgepole Coal Mine Project (Project).
Cline Mining Corporation (Proponent) is proposing to develop a two million tonnes per year open-pit coal mine and process facilities in southeastern B.C., approximately 35 km (22 miles) north of the Canada - U.S. border. Planned mine life is 20 years.
The proposed Project is subject to review under British Columbia’s Environmental Assessment Act, S.B.C. 2002, c.43. The purpose of the draft TOR is to identify the information that the Proponent must include in its application for an environmental assessment certificate.
The 30-day public comment period will begin on January 2, 2007 and end on February 1, 2007. Form letters, petitions or other submissions that only state a position for or against a given project cannot generally be considered. Written comments received by midnight on February 1, 2007 will be considered. After taking public comments into consideration, the EAO will finalize the draft TOR and issue it to Cline Mining Corp. Please send your comments to:
Garry Alexander, Project Assessment Director
Environmental Assessment Office
PO Box 9426 Stn Prov Govt
Victoria, BC Canada V8W 9V1
Fax: 250 356-6448
Comments by e-mail are encouraged and may be directed to eaoinfo@gov.bc.ca.
An electronic copy of the draft TOR, as well as information regarding the environmental assessment process, are available at www.eao.gov.bc.ca.
Copies of the draft TOR are available to the public at the following libraries in Montana:
Open Houses & Public Meetings
The British Columbia Environmental Assessment Office invites interested parties to attend open houses followed by public meetings being held in the following communities:
January 16, 2007
Elko Community Hall
Elko, B.C.
January 17, 2007
Sparwood Recreation Centre
367 Pine Ave, Sparwood, B.C.
January 18, 2007
Best Western Hotel
1622-7th Ave, Fernie, B.C.
Open houses at each location will be held between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Public Meetings will be held between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.
From the Thursday, December 14, 2006 online edition of the Hungry Horse News . . .
A plan to mine coal about 22 miles north of Glacier National Park's border has entered a more formal public comment stage.
The Cline Mining Corporation is running ads this week in area newspapers detailing the mine and invites “the Montana public” to comment on the project in a document called the Terms of Reference, which is an outline that identifies environmental and cultural concerns with the project.
The mine, in short, would take off the top of a mountain in the Foisey Creek drainage, a tributary to the North Fork of the Flathead.
The company plans to mine coal from the open pit project for 20 years as well as upgrade a road system into the drainage.
Read the entire article . . .
From the Sunday, December 10, 2006 online edition of the Great Falls Tribune . . .
A permanent ban on oil, gas and mineral exploration along Montana's Rocky Mountain Front was included in a last-minute package of tax breaks and other legislation that cleared Congress early Saturday. The legislation is now headed to President Bush, who must sign it for it to take effect.
"We expect him to do that. He has not indicated otherwise," said Barrett Kaiser, aide to Sen. Max Baucus, D.-Mont.
The bill passed the Senate by a 79-9 vote.
"This is a major, major victory for Montana. We've been working to pass meaningful protections for the Rocky Mountain Front for 30 years," said Baucus, who added the provision to the larger tax package in the final days of the Senate session.
We finally got it done. We finally protected the Rocky Mountain Front forever," he added. "Thirty years from now, our kids and grandchildren will thank us."
The drilling provision makes permanent a 1997 moratorium on Rocky Mountain Front exploration and makes it easier to retire existing leases.
Read the entire article . . .