Montana Delegation Opposes Stronger State Water Rules For Coal-Bed Methane

[hatrack]

Wyoming's Congressional delegation opposes Montana rule changes that would affect water quality standards for water discharged by coal-bed methane producers in the state's Powder River Basin.

Charging that any rule changes would result in a significant fall in the state's CBM production, the delegation questioned the legal authority of Montana to make rule changes under the interstate commerce clause of the Constitution.

“The petition, under the guise of environmental benefit, could severely limit CBNG (coal-bed natural gas) production without any significant additional protection for water quality or existing water uses in Wyoming or Montana,” U.S. Sens. Mike Enzi and Craig Thomas and U.S. Rep. Barbara Cubin wrote Friday in a letter to the Montana Board of Environmental Quality.

Montana irrigators have worried about the quality of water that Wyoming methane operators may be dumping into waterways that make their way into Montana.

EDIT

http://www.gillettenewsrecord.com/articles/2006/01/31/news/news4.txt