Secretary Salazar joins Canadian Ambassador Doer in Celebrating Agreement to Protect Transboundary Flathead River Basin
DOI News Release, February 15, 2011 [here]
Washington, D.C. - Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today joined Canadian Ambassador Gary Doer in a ceremony at the Woodrow Wilson Center celebrating an agreement to protect the transboundary Flathead River Basin. The agreement reached today by British Columbia and The Nature Conservancy-U.S. and The Nature Conservancy Canada will protect the Canadian portion of the Flathead River Basin from oil, gas and minerals development.
“Our conservation challenges don’t stop at the border so it is important that our nations join together to protect our world’s natural resources and treasures, including the Flathead River Basin with its pristine lakes and alpine scenery,” said Secretary Salazar. “Completion of the agreement to protect the Basin from mining and energy development is not only an historic event, but also a wonderful celebration for the many people who are dedicated to coordinated, sustainable protection of this important watershed.”
To support the international conservation efforts, British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell announced that he will introduce legislation to permanently ban oil, gas and minerals development in the Canadian Flathead basin.
Also joining the celebration were Senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester of Montana; Mark Tercek, President and CEO, The Nature Conservancy; and Assistant Secretary of the Interior Rhea Suh, whom Salazar credited with leading Interior’s “productive dialogue for months with our counterparts regarding cooperation on shared conservation priorities.” … [more]
See also: Debt for Nature — Financing American Endangered Species on Foreign Soil [here]