Proposed British Columbia coal mine (the Cline Mine) of great concern to Montana

A giant open pit coal mine is proposed in British Columbia just north of Montana close to Glacier National Park. I have linked to articles about this proposal for years, but now the reality of the mine is much more solid. The coal would be shipped to China.

There are already similiar mines to the north in the Elk River Basin (a stream that does not drain directly into the United States).
State to seek federal intervention on Canadian coal mine. By Michael Jamison, Missoulian.

I discovered there is a blog, written by folks who live near the North Fork of the Flathead River, that gives a lot of information about the “Cline Mine.” See North Fork Preservation Association blog.

Here is a web site with maps and photos. Cline Mine in a Nutshell.

Update. Jan. 20. Here is a photo of what to expect. It is of Coal Mountain in the Flathead Range of the Rockies (British Columbia). This longstanding coal mine is 10-15 miles north of the proposed Cline Mine. It drains into a different river basin.


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  1. kt Avatar
    kt

    Oh, Canada has long been a paragon of mining responsibility, including all those nice Canadian mines ripping apart the Great Basin in northern Nevada where the American public has been so kind as to let them (and any other miner or mining corporation – either foreign or domestic) pillage the public lands. We welcome them all with open arms.

    Like the Newmont, Barrick and other cyanide heap leach gold mines in Nevada. And that fine Nevada Canadian gold mine practice of roasting gold ore that is high in mercury and releasing the mercury into the air to blow over Idaho, Utah, maybe Montana and rain down on our water.

    Yes, Montanans should sleep well at night, knowing they can trust the word and reassurances of Canadian-style mining companies.

    KT is right, Canadian mining companies are tearing up the United States. Of course, it’s not like the Bush Administration is trying to stop them.

    I should add a special word about British Columbia. It is governed by an especially obnoxious Earth-plundering political party — the Liberal Party. When B.C.’s other party is in power, the New Democrats, NDP, the Province can have quite enlightened conservation policy. Ralph M.

  2. RW Avatar
    RW

    Citizens of Montana and BC must ban together and stand up to these pricks and say “not here – not ever”.
    Cline Mine Corp. will think twice as they encounter the Canadian opposition from local and distant protesters. Opposition will be on a scale never seen before in this region; and it won’t go away. The organization is well underway. When will these bastards stop raping the earth?

Author

Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University. He was a Western Watersheds Project Board Member off and on for many years, and was also its President for several years. For a long time he produced Ralph Maughan’s Wolf Report. He was a founder of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. He and Jackie Johnson Maughan wrote three editions of “Hiking Idaho.” He also wrote “Beyond the Tetons” and “Backpacking Wyoming’s Teton and Washakie Wilderness.” He created and is the administrator of The Wildlife News.

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