© British Columbia has announced it will not allow energy and mineral exploration in the headwaters of Glacier National Park.
The valley is attractive to energy companies for access to coal, coalbed methane, and hardrock minerals. But environmentalists say energy development would be disastrous for natural resources and wildlife. The area in question is the Flathead River Valley - a million-acre watershed located on the border of Montana and British Columbia. In Montana, controlling nearly two-thirds of the watershed, the land is off limits to energy development to protect the park but British Columbia wants to allow companies to develop.
British Columbia Lt. Gov. Steven Point pledged that, "mining, oil and gas development and coalbed gas extraction will not be permitted in British Columbia's Flathead Valley."