The answer below is from BP itself:

At this time, BP has no plans to request the BC Environmental Assessment Office to review our project.

The answer below is from the BC Government:

All oil and gas activity, including coalbed gas development, undergoes environmental assessment as regulated by the Oil and Gas Commission (OGC). The OGC requires companies undertake assessments specific to an issue and appropriate to the phase of development.

An environmental assessment performed by the British Columbia Environmental Assessment Office is performed when the coalbed gas project triggers certain requirements under the British Columbia Environmental Assessment Act (EA Act). For example, groundwater extraction and pipeline construction could trigger an environmental assessment if thresholds set out in the EA Act are expected to be exceeded.

The fact of the matter is that the levels that can be expected from BP's development will not exceed those set to trigger an Environmental Assessment.

Probably not. The companies that might lease the tenures here, will more than likely ship a large portion of their gas south to the U.S., primarily California, where the needs are the greatest and the profits the highest.

CBM development will have a negative impact on the recreation, tourism, hospitality, real estate development and sporting industries in the area. The short term economic benefits resulting from CBM drilling don't outweigh the long term, sustainable and growing revenue and jobs created through those above listed industries. CBM will only create about 20 local and lasting jobs of a custodial nature. The bulk of skilled jobs will be short term and go largely to Albertans and others, already skilled in the oil and gas industry.

CBM wells are connected by a network of roads, pipelines, and compressor stations, that destroy the scenic quality of the landscape, fragment wildlife habitat, and displace local wildlife populations. over time, wells are spaced more closely together, in order to extract the remaining methane. Then, there is the produced water which may contain dangerous levels of harmful substances and qualities. Under current guidelines, CBM producers are not held liable for damages to public health and safety, or to the environment.

CBM development differs from conventional gas production in two key ways:
1. It requires the wells be closer together. Conventional - one well per 640 acres: CBM one well per 80 acres or even as low as 40 acres. This means more intensive land impacts with more roads, pipe & power lines, compressors, etc. Current BC law does not set a limit on spacing of CBM wells.
2. CBM is held in coal seams by large quantities of water which must be pumped out to release the gas. This water can be saline and may contain heavy metals. Surface discharge may be damaging to both surface vegetation and water quality.Our geology may prevent re-injection. Encana is using surface discharge up the valley.