American Government Comes Out Against Coal Mining
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto 
on 03.16.07
We are so thrilled to learn that the American government has finally developed concern about the environmental impact of digging for coal. In Canada. It seems that there are concerns that a new mine just north of Montana stands to jeopardize water quality in the transboundary Flathead area. From the Vanouver Sun: The Flathead basin is "an area of unique and internationally recognized environmental importance," Edward Alex Lee, Canadian affairs director in the State Department, said in the Feb. 23 letter. He said the mine could cause "significant adverse environmental effects" in the United States. U.S. Senator Max Baucus, a Montana Democrat, said "Montanans are rightfully worried that mining in British Columbia could have devastating consequences to fish, wildlife and our growing recreation industry in the Flathead."
We are certain that Montana is going to put its gasification plants on the back burner and even though Tom Freidman says "Montana has one-third of all the coal deposits in America — 8 percent of all the coal in the world. Montana’s coal is roughly equivalent to 240 billion barrels of oil. “That’s enough to replace all our imported oil for 60 years.” they will leave it in the ground out of equal concern for their own backyards.
We don't support digging up British Columbia for its coal either, but this smells of hypocrisy. ::Vancouver Sun via ::the conscious earth
image by Edward Burtynsky, "Westar Open Pit Coal Mine #19, Sparwood, British Columbia", 1985
Follow @TreeHugger on Twitter & get our headlines with @TH_rss!
Thirsty for more? Check out these related articles:
- Green Glossary: Naturopathy
- Recycled Plastic Workout Gear is Great for Fitness, Great for Planet
- Focus Earth: June 27, 2009: The Roots of Eco-Terrorism and Saving the Whales
- Manage Ticks Without Environmental Toxins
- Are You at Risk From Wind Turbine Syndrome?
- How Artificial Sweeteners Are Polluting Our Water
People should check out the Barak Obama, Illinois CTF(Coal to Fuels) program. They want to turn a large portion of Illinois' upper crust into diesel. There's an energy equivalent to kuwait and saudi arabia's oil, in the coal of illinois. The process creates pollution when transformed to liquid fuel, and again when used as liquid fuel. bad bongos....
Well if the Flathead is going to be affected, that means that my old home turf of the Tobacco Valley will get it first and worse, because it is between Canada and Flathead Valley. I do agree that the government has no room to talk, but the important thing to remember is that coal is bad.
Obama's support for coal was one of the things that turned me off him. Just more pork.
Strip coal mining is a horrible practice. Although I have never been to Montana, you can drive through Pennsylvania and see the topless mountains.
One does have to smell something fishy about MONTANA criticizing their competitors about coal mining...
yea go ahead shut down the coal producing states, so they cant mine anymore....on second thought you guys can freeze in the dark. its there for a reason. TO MINE!!!!!!