News, reports, and links to informational resources Glacier National Park, Flathead Lake, the Flathead River Basin, and the potential for coal mining in the British Columbian headwaters basin of the North Fork Flathead River.

Last updated 14 April 1998.

• Carbon Dioxide Emission Factors for Coal. U.S. Department of Energy. The article details the estimation of carbon dioxide emission factors for U.S. coal by coal rank (anthracite, bituminous coal, subbituminous coal, lignite) and geographic origin (State) and illustrates use of these factors to estimate carbon dioxide emissions from coal consumption by State and end-use sector.
• Coal Data: A Reference. PDF (1.5 megs). U.S. Department of Energy. This report summarizes basic information on the mining and use of coal, an important source of energy in the United States. This report is written for a general audience. The goal is to cover basic material and strike a reasonable compromise between overly generalized statements and detailed analyses.
• Coal Geology of British Columbia. B.C. Ministry of Employment and Investment. Excellent essay on the history and current extent of coal mining and its economic importance to the province. Must reading.
• Longwall Mining Publication (PDF 1 meg). U.S. Department of Energy. This publication describes longwall mining and compares it with other underground mining methods. Using data from EIA and private sector surveys, the report describes major changes in the geologic, technological, and operating characteristics of longwall mining over the past decade. Most important, the report shows how these changes led to dramatic improvements in longwall mining productivity.
• Safety in Coal Mining. From the National Institute of Occupation Safety and Health. Not surprisingly, mining still is extremely dangerous.
• Biological Resources of the Flathead River. Summary of the International Joint Commission's Flathead River Study Biological Resource Committee's Technical Report. Completed in October, 1987.

Canada

• Government of British Columbia. Official web site of the British Columbian Government in Victoria, B.C.
  • Members of the Legislative Assembly. Includes the premier and members of his cabinet. Names, addresses, and telephone and fax numbers.
  • Ministry of Employment and Investment. Promoters of economic development.
    • Exploration and Mines in B.C. Summary information.
  • Revised Statutes of British Columbia, 1996. Laws online.
  • British Columbia Environmental Assessment Office (EAO). Start here for information on B.C.'s environmental review process.
    • TABLE OF CONTENTS. Shortcut to topics.
  • British Columbia Land Use Coordination Office (LUCO)

United States

• Energy Information Administration. U.S. Department of Energy's independent statistical service for information on energy in the U.S. and world wide. Outstanding links. Very well organized.
  • Coal.
  • Energy Links. Possibly the best collection of energy links anywhere on earth.
  • Environment.
  • (FAQ).
  • International.
• Environmental Protection Agency. Good information on water quality issues. Most information designed for general distribution is dumbed down, so head for what's for scientists.
  • Researchers and Scientists. Start here. You can generate custom maps for downloading from some pages in this section.
    • Center for Environmental Statistics. A statistics resource center for a wide range of environmental data from within and outside the EPA.
    • Envirofacts. A national information system that provides an integrated single point of access to data extracted from five major EPA databases.
    • Surf Your Watershed: A service to help you locate, use, and share environmental information

Montana

• State of Montana Home Page.
  • Office of Governor Marc Racicot. The governor provides a voice number. A fax number and an email link are missing.
• Flathead Basin Commission. The only official body dedicated to a transjurisdictional approach to environmental quality in the Flathead basin.

International

• International Joint Commission. Established by the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909 to deal with transboundary water issues between the United States and Canada.

• Calgary Herald.
• Calgary Sun.
• INFO-MINE - The Internet's Premier Mining Information Site.
  • Overview of Trends in Canadian Mineral Exploration.
• Mining Technology
  • Fording Coal;s Coal Mountain Project.
  • Fording Coal's Greenhill's Project
  • Fording Coal's Fording River Project.
• Missoulian. Missoula, Montana. Publishes some stories for a week.
• Toronto Star.
• Vancouver Sun.

• Glacier National Park (USA).
• Waterton Lakes (Canada)

• Alberta Wilderness Association. One of Canada's leading conservation organizations, headquartered in Calgary. Information on the Cheviot mine.
• B.C. Mining Watch. Home of the Environmental Mining Council of British Columbia. Ecological perspective, data oriented.
• Clark Fork Coalition. Activists now concentrating on fighting a gold mine proposed for the upper reaches of the Blackfoot River. Headquartered in Missoula.
• Flathead Coalition. Organized in the mid-1970s to fight the proposed Cabin Creek mine. Not as active as in previous years, but has considerable credibility with the public and elected decision makers. No web page. Contact information not yet received.
• Flathead Lakers. The Flathead Lakers work to protect and enhance water quality and biological diversity in Flathead Lake and its watershed, and to support economic vitality consistent with maintaining the pristine water quality and beauty of the area. P. O. Box 70, Polson, MT 59860. Voice: 406-883-1346. Fax: 406-883-1357 (note: these are new numbers and addresses. Email: lakers@cyberport.net. No web page yet.
• Mineral Policy Center. The leading mining reform organization in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., with a circuit rider office in Bozeman, Montana.
• Montana Environmental Information Center Home. NOTE: If that link does not work (it was valid as of 13 APR 98), try http://www.meic.org. One of Montana's first environmental organizations. Concentrates on lobbying Montana's legislature. Usually finds a way to get involved in mining issues. Headquartered in Helena.
• Montana Wilderness Association. Montana's oldest pro-wilderness organization.The Flathead Chapter has long experience with North Fork coal mining issues. Headquartered in Helena, with field offices in Kalispell, Great Falls, and Bozeman.
• Montana Wildlife Federation. Montana's premeir wildlife conservation organization.
• Save the Vaal. Site maintained by opponents of a coal mine in South Africa. Interesting situation.
• Sierra Club of Canada. Links to provincial chapters. The SC opposes the giant Cheviot mine, recently approved by the Albertan government.
  • Coal Decision a Travesty Account of the Cheviot mine battle.
• West Coast Environmental Law. Public interest law firm based in Vancouver, B.C. Has good links to key environmental laws in B.C.

• Flathead Lake Biological Station at Yellow Bay, a satellite campus of the University of Montana. By far the best source of credible scientific information on the Flathead River Basin ecosystem.
  • Yellow Bay Journal. Published by the Friends of Yellow Bay. The current issue has a must read editorial about Flathead Lake by the biological station's director, Dr. Jack Stanford.
• Montana Water Center. Home Page at Montana State University, Bozeman. Headed by Dorothy Bradley. Outstanding selection of links. Some information on private organizations is out of date. Updated monthly.
  • TMDL pages.
  • Links. Still under construction, but extensive and expanding rapidly.
  • Water Centers for the 50 states.