Schweitzer

here to talk coal mine

By CHRIS PETERSON

Hungry Horse News

A host of interests, including Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer will converge on Kalispell to discuss coal mining in the Canadian Flathead Dec. 7 at the Flathead River Basin Commission's next meeting.

The topic of coal mining in the North Fork of the Flathead on the Canadian side is nothing new. One Canadian company or another comes up with a proposal about once every 10 years.

And about once every 10 years the proposal dies.

But this time around coal prices are robust to say the least and the Canadians seem serious about a new coal mine in Foisey Creek - a tributary of the North Fork of the Flathead.

That has prompted considerable concern in Montana, since the North Fork also is most of the western border of Glacier National Park.

Slated to attend the meeting, including Schweitzer, who will talk about recent discussions with British Columbia officials include:

€ Jack Stanford, director of the Flathead Lake Biological Station, will update the group on scientific findings in the North Fork of the Flathead River.

€ Brace Hayden, a natural resource management specialist and ecosystems program coordinator with Glacier National Park will review the history of the International Joint Commission's involvement in the coal mining issue in the British Columbia portion of the North Fork in the past two decades. The International Joint Commission is an independent bi-national organization established by the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909.

Its purpose is to help prevent and resolve disputes relating to the use and quality of boundary waters and to advise Canada and the United States on related questions.

The IJC gave a negative recommendation for a coal mine in the North Fork in the Cabin Creek area in the past.

€ Dennis Schornack, the U.S. co-chairman of the IJC, will detail the role of commission in these issues.

€ Kathy Eichenberger, British Columbia's liaison to the Commission will speak on the province's approval process for mining activities and data the province has gathered in the North Fork, as well as a summary of data needs in the transboundary region.

The meeting runs from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the West Coast Hotel in the Kalispell Center Mall and is open to the public.