Montana may join B.C. mine review
Cline Mining Corp. is proposing a major project for site near Foisey Creek
The British Columbia provincial government has invited Montana to participate in the environmental review for a mine in the headwaters of the Canadian Flathead and to jointly pursue a "comprehensive review" of environmental data and research in that basin.
John van Dongen, the provincial Minister of State for Intergovernmental Relations, announced Wednesday that Montana can participate in the environmental assessment review process for the Lodgepole coal project proposed by the Cline Mining Corp.
The company is seeking a major mining permit for a site near Foisey Creek, a tributary about 24 miles north of the border that flows into the Canadian Flathead and Montana's North Fork Flathead River.
The state of Montana has been intensely interested in potential downstream effects from mine development north of the border. That interest prompted a meeting last year between British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell and Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer.
"British Columbia and Montana are actively working together to share information on natural resource development proposals in order to build confidence and trust between our jurisdictions," van Dongen said in a press release. "This is an important step forward in our efforts to have a better understanding of transboundary issues in the Flathead watershed, and work effectively with each other."
In a letter to Schweitzer, Premier Campbell invited Montana to participate in the Lodgepole coal mine project's advisory working group, a panel that establishes the terms and conditions for an environmental assessment that must be developed by Cline Mining to proceed with the Lodgepole Mine, which is expected to produce 200 million tons of coking coal used in the production of steel.
"This invitation is consistent with the guiding principles of the British Columbia Environmental Review process - that all parties who may potentially be affected by a development are involved in the review," the press release states.
"We have some of the best environmental standards in the world, including a provincial and federal environmental assessment process that is open and accountable," van Dongen said. "I am confident in the integrity and rigor of our approach and welcome Montana's participation."
Campbell also has proposed that the two jurisdictions undertake a comprehensive review of existing environmental data and research on the Flathead region.
"This review will ensure agencies in both jurisdictions can work together from a shared data set, which would assist environmental assessment of future natural resource development proposals in the Flathead," the press release states.
"Premier Campbell and I have built a great partnership," Schweitzer said. "This is an example of good cross-border co-operation built on mutual respect and Montana looks forward to working with British Columbia as we move forward with the review process."
The Flathead Coalition, a Montana organization that monitors mining proposals in the Canadian Flathead, recently has raised concerns about the potential for other mining projects to "leapfrog" into the basin using the Lodgepole mine infrastructure.
Specifically, there is potential for a joint venture between Western Canadian Coal and an Australian mining company, Wasabi Energy, to pursue coal exploration in the valley bottom south of the Lodgepole mine, coalition member Steve Thompson said.
Thompson notes that it took Cline only one year to move from exploratory efforts to an application for the large-scale mine on Foisey Creek.
Just the potential for another mine heightens the importance of having a full-scale assessment of ecological conditions in the transboundary Flathead, to evaluate the potential cumulative impacts of future industrial projects.
Reporter Jim Mann may be reached at 758-4407 or by e-mail at jmann@dailyinterlake.com