The Flathead Valley is home to the largest population of inland grizzlies on the continent and also holds massive coal and gas reserves. (Sierra Club of B.C.)

American politicians are working to do what B.C. has already done — protect the Flathead Valley.

The U.S. Senate has begun hearings on a bill that would ban industrial development in the Flathead Valley, located in the southeastern corner of B.C. with borders on national parks in Alberta and the U.S.

If passed, the American bill would mean the Flathead would be protected from south of the Fernie area of B.C. to Whitefish, Mont. — a stretch of about 150 kilometres.

"Basically, it will ensure the U.S. side of the Flathead is free of mining and oil and gas forever," said Montana environmentalist Wil Hammerquist.

B.C. politicians banned industrial development in the Canadian Flathead this past winter.

But the idea of protecting the valley is meeting with much less resistance in the U.S. than it did in B.C.

U.S. energy giant ConocoPhillips even voluntarily gave up 170,000 acres in the valley they have oil and gas rights on.

Hammerquist is hoping the bill to protect the U.S. portion of the Flathead gets signed by the President by the end of 2010.

"It's one of the wildest valleys left in the continental United States. We're really optimistic. No one has spoken out against this bill to protect the U.S. section of the watershed," Hammerquist said.

B.C. environmentalist John Bergenske agrees the Flathead deserves to be protected.

"The Flathead is considered one of the wildest places in the continental U.S. and it's known in Montana and nationwide as a treasure," he said.