Pubdate: Fri, 18 Jun 2010
Source: Daily Inter Lake, The (MT)
Copyright: 2010 The Daily Inter Lake
Contact:  http://www.dailyinterlake.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2501
Author: Jim Mann

'IT'S A LITTLE WILD OUT THERE NOW'

Gov. Brian Schweitzer is confident there will be  changes to Montana's
medical marijuana law, that  Montana's agreement with British Columbia
over mining  in the Canadian Flathead will produce the expected
results and that the state will endure its fiscal  challenges.

Those were just a few of the topics Schweitzer covered  in a visit
with the Inter Lake editorial board  Thursday. On his way back from
meeting with British  Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell in Vancouver,
Schweitzer was in the Flathead to promote the upcoming  Western
Governors' Association conference in Whitefish.

Schweitzer said he came away from the meeting  optimistic that the
Memorandum of Understanding with  the province will be implemented in
coming months.

He said the agreement, which bans mining and oil and  gas development
in the North Fork Flathead drainage on  both sides of the border, has
already been "98 percent"  settled.

One issue that has yet to be settled is compensation  for Cline Mining
Corp. and Max Minerals, two Canadian  companies with claims in the
Canadian Flathead.

He said it has been determined that the companies will  receive
compensation for "sunk costs" that have already  been incurred in
their exploration activities, rather  than the loss of future
revenues. The high-end estimate  for compensation is about $17
million, Schweitzer said.

There was a far greater sacrifice for the provincial
government.

"British Columbia is walking away from $5 million to $7  billion in
royalties and taxes" as a result of the ban,  Schweitzer said.

The June 27-29 Western Governors' conference at the  Whitefish Middle
School Performing Arts Center will be  a significant event that is
expected to attract at  least 500 people, Schweitzer said.

"This is going to be an opportunity to showcase the  Flathead Valley,"
he said.

In addition to governors from western states and their  support staff,
the event will be attended by Obama  administration officials and
experts on a variety of  interstate issues. A keynote speaker at the
event will  be Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson, a part-time
Flathead resident.

"We'll be talking about wildlife, water, energy and  jobs," Schweitzer
said.

Energy transmission infrastructure will be a big issue  of particular
interest to Schweitzer, who has been  pursuing the development of a
pipeline through Montana  from Alberta, Canada.

Schweitzer has been negotiating with the TransCanada  energy company
to provide a pipeline "on-ramp" for  Montana and North Dakota oil producers.

"That's important to us," he said.

Schweitzer mentioned another Canadian-related issue:  his efforts to
get federal approval for the re-import  of lower-cost prescription
drugs from Canada to  Montana.

"We think we could save about $600 million in Montana  if we could buy
this medicine in Montana at British  Columbia prices," he said.

But he has encountered considerable resistance at the  federal
level.

Regarding Montana's medical marijuana law and the rapid  proliferation
of card-carriers permitted to possess or  grow marijuana, Schweitzer
predicted the law will  either be repealed or significantly revised.
There are  currently 16,255 registered patients and 3,438
"caregivers" who can supply patients with marijuana.

Flathead County has 2,132 patients, the third highest  among Montana
counties, and 520 caregivers, the highest  for any county in Montana.

"We have a system that allows people who want marijuana  to smoke
marijuana, not people who need marijuana," he  said. "We didn't have
the rules in place, so it's a  little wild out there now."

This week, a Billngs-based group launched a campaign to  repeal the
law that was enacted by 62 percent of voters  in 2004. That aside,
Schweitzer said everything from  proposals to repeal to legalizing
marijuana will come  up in the next legislative session.

"We gotta tighten this thing up, that's for sure," he
said.

Schweitzer expressed optimism about the state's fiscal  outlook,
despite a recent legislative fiscal analyst's  report that the state
will be faced with a deficit.  Schweitzer said it is difficult to know
just how big it  will be when the Legislature convenes.

"Right now, unlike 48 other states, we have money in  the bank," he
said.

Schweitzer concedes the state will be faced with a  tight fiscal
situation that will require tough  decisions.

Over the last year, Schweitzer has implemented a series  of
cost-cutting measures, such as deferring the  scheduled replacement of
computers for some state  agencies.

"We've managed to run the business for less money than  [the
Legislature] anticipated, and I like that," he  said. 
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D