The U.S. Department of the Interior on Tuesday announced it will permit the Colstrip power plant’s fuel supplier to mine nearly 34 million more tons of federally-owned coal.
The approval allows the mine to tap into a mix of federal and privately-owned coal, extending the mine’s life to 2039. Without it, the mine would exhaust mineable coal over the next five years.
This is the second largest mine expansion the administration has okayed since the beginning of the year as part of the administration's efforts to fast track oil, gas and energy projects.
Vocal supporters of the Rosebud Mine expansion, like Senator Steve Daines and Governor Greg Gianforte, celebrated the decision, while environmental advocates say it enables continued environmental destruction.
The approval follows more than a decade of litigation over the proposal and the mine’s threat to the Yellowstone River, air quality and human health in the region.
