Coal-Bed Methane; Province to take resolution 'under consideration'

British Columbians ratcheted up their opposition to a proposed Shell Canada Ltd. coal-bed methane project yesterday as a group of mayors unanimously approved a resolution demanding Premier Gordon Campbell halt the company's drilling.

At the same time, environmental groups are preparing to petition the B. C. government for a 10-year moratorium on all development of the unconventional gas resource, which has provoked anger -- and even one First Nations blockade of drilling equipment --in the province.

Between two national parks lies a corridor rich in wildlife - but also in fossil fuels. Will protection follow now that the gas extraction drillers want to move in?

It has been called one of North America's wildest places. Just north of the US-Canada border, the wooded slopes of the Canadian Rockies channel unpolluted water into a valley that remains free of human development. Grizzly bears, cougars and wolverines prowl the banks of the Flathead river. Outside of a national park, there is probably no wilderness like it on the continent.

Study suggests plan poses risk to three major salmon streams at once, could cause extensive damage to environment

MARK HUME
MAY 15, 2008

A new report released by the Pembina Institute raises fears about the possible impact of coal-bed methane extraction on three major salmon rivers in northwestern British Columbia.

The institute says commercial coal-bed methane development has never taken place in a salmon watershed before, and it describes as "an irresponsible experiment" a provincial plan allowing Shell Canada Ltd. into the headwaters of the Stikine, Skeena and Nass rivers.

Merely one in five Northwest residents — 22 per cent — support Shell Canada’s plans for coalbed methane development in the Klappan Valley, according to a McAllister Opinion Research poll released Friday. An overwhelming 50 per cent of people oppose the plan, while 28 per cent are unsure.

The poll was commissioned by the NDP on the prompting of Skeena Bulkley Valley MP Nathan Cullen.

“The people of the Northwest, not some giant, foreign oil company, will decide how to develop our natural resources,” he said.

“I have been hearing increasing concern over the past several years form people who live in the Skeena watershed about Shell’s proposed developments. They’re telling me that this project is not worth the risk to our salmon, water and wildlife.”

Here is the text of the resolution passed at the City of Fernie's regular
council meeting April 14, 2008.

Whereas: The people of Fernie have expressed their overwhelming
objection to the granting of tenure to BP Canada for the exploration of
Coal Bed Methane in the Crowsnest Coalfield and;

Whereas BP Canada has not demonstrated a willingness to work with the
community in a transparent manner nor fully engage in meaningful
dialogue and has ignored repeated requests from representatives of the
City to engage the community more pro-actively and;

Whereas there are considerable unknowns with respect to the short-term
and long-term impacts on the environment, the economy and the human
community of the Elk Valley and that the Canadian Society for