HELENA - British Columbia is persisting with its sale of coal-bed methane leases north of Glacier National Park despite Gov. Judy Martz's appeal for Canadian federal officials to halt the effort, a provincial official said Tuesday.

"British Columbia regulates oil and gas activity in the province," Minister of Energy and Mines Richard Neufeld said. "We've done that for over 50 years and see no reason why that should change.

"Does the federal government in the United States get involved in all the actions that happen in the state of Montana?"

Neufeld's comments came a day after Martz asked Canada's environmental and foreign affairs officers to defer the Aug. 25 sale of coal-bed methane leases by the province and order an environmental assessment.

Martz said Montana is concerned the potential coal-bed methane activity would jeopardize water quality in the Flathead River system, which flows into Montana from British Columbia. The North Fork of the Flathead is Glacier's western boundary.

"We believe that we have a good set of rules and regulations in place to make sure it (coal-bed methane exploration) is done in an environmentally responsible way," said Neufeld, adding that coal-bed methane wells were being drilled in Montana "as we speak."

"We have no desire to pollute any of our streams so that Montana receives that pollution. That's not what we do in British Columbia."

Neufeld said he had not been contacted by Canadian officials.

"But who knows?" he said. "There could be a thunderstorm tomorrow."

Government officials will review Martz's letter and "a response will be provided in due course," said Rodney Moore, spokesman for Foreign Affairs Canada in Ottawa.

Moore said officials are aware of the Aug. 25 sale date, a timeframe the Martz administration said added urgency to her appeal. "Due course is the guidance" and there is no specific date for a response, Moore said.

In Fernie, British Columbia, the group Citizens Concerned about Coalbed Methane praised Martz's action. The area being considered for exploration is near Fernie.

"Montana's request is exactly in line with the precautionary approach that we have been advocating since we first learned of this assault on this very special part of North America," said Ted Ralfe, group spokesman.

On Monday the Fernie City Council for the third time called on the British Columbia government to conduct complete environmental studies.