From the Friday, February 22, 2008 online edition of the Daily Inter Lake . . .

A forum on potential development in the Canadian Flathead drainage opened with a bang Thursday, with Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., announcing that energy giant BP is withdrawing plans for coal-bed methane development in the basin.

“Just several hours ago, I got a call from the head of BP … and he told me they’ve made a final decision: They’re not going to develop coal-bed methane in the Flathead,” Baucus said, getting a rousing cheer from an audience of about 200 at Flathead Valley Community College.

Baucus said he further pressed BP America President Bob Malone in the conversation, asking if the decision was indeed final, “and he said yes.”

In a parallel action on Wednesday, the British Columbia Ministry of Energy issued BP “tenure referral” — an exclusive right to pursue permits for methane development in the Crowsnest coal field northeast of the Flathead River drainage.

“The Flathead Valley is not part of the tenure area,” confirmed Jamie Edwardson, a ministry spokesman. “The province recognizes the environmental sensitivity of the Flathead area and has not included this area in the tenure referral.”

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