Federal Coal Mining Approved on 800 Montana Acres: Secretary of Interior Mandated to OK Plan Within 30 Days

This bill fast-tracks the expansion of coal mining operations in Montana, specifically targeting about 800 acres of federal land in Musselshell County. The legislation mandates that the Secretary of the Interior approve the "Bull Mountains Mining Plan Modification"—officially, Amendment 3 to the Bull Mountains Mine No. 1—within 30 days of the bill becoming law. And here's the kicker: the Secretary cannot make any changes or cause any delays to the approval, as long as it's for mining on the specified land (NE1/4 of section 8, SW1/4 of section 10, W1/2, SE1/4 of section 22, T. 6 N. R. 27 E.).

Fast Track to Mining

The core of this bill is a directive to the Department of the Interior: greenlight the mining plan, and do it fast. This means a specific 800-acre chunk of land under Federal Coal Lease MTM 97988 is set to be mined, and the usual bureaucratic processes are being bypassed. By requiring approval within 30 days without modifications, the bill essentially limits any further environmental review or public input that might typically be part of such a decision.

Real-World Rollout

For folks in Musselshell County, this could mean a quicker ramp-up of mining activity. While the bill doesn't spell out job creation or economic benefits, those are often selling points for these kinds of projects. What is clear is that a mining company is getting the go-ahead to extract coal from this area, and they're getting it on an expedited timeline. The bill doesn't lay out environmental safeguards. Usually, projects like this face extensive environmental impact assessments, but the wording here—"without changes or delays"—raises a red flag. It's unclear how potential impacts on the land, water, and air quality will be handled.

The Big Picture: Precedent Setting?

Beyond Montana, this bill could signal a shift in how federal lands are managed, especially regarding resource extraction. If a mining plan can be fast-tracked like this, what's stopping other projects from seeking similar treatment? This sets up a potential precedent for prioritizing speed over scrutiny, which is a big deal when talking about environmental protection. Usually, the feds have checks and balances in place. This bill seems to sidestep those. The lack of detail on environmental protection is concerning, and the bill doesn't reference any existing environmental regulations that would still apply.