International board begins study of Kootenai, Koocanusa pollution [Video]

MISSOULA — An international effort to reduce the amount of coal-mine pollution being released into Lake Koocanusa and the Kootenai River now has a plan for how the study of pollution should proceed and how much it is likely to cost.

On Tuesday night in Fernie, British Columbia, Canadians and Canadian tribes will get the first chance to weigh in on the final plan of study to address water pollution in the transboundary Elk-Kootenai/y watershed. The International Elk-Kootenai/y Watershed Study Board released the plan of study in late March and is beginning to research the situation. Part of that research includes collecting public comments. A virtual listening session will be offered on July 8 at 6 p.m.

North of the Montana/Canada border, coal mines operated by Teck Resources have released wastewater laced with selenium and nitrogen into Canada’s Elk River for decades. In the early 1990s, the selenium concentration at the mouth of the Elk River started exceeding British Columbia water …