Congress fast-tracks Montana coal mining, stripping environmental review.
H.R. 931 — To allow certain Federal minerals to be mined consistent with the Bull Mountains Mining Plan Modification, and for other purposes. · Filed by Troy Downing (R-MT) · 1 cosponsor · Introduced Feb 4, 2025 · Hearing held
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What it does
This bill authorizes mining of federal coal reserves in Montana's Bull Mountains under a specific mining plan modification that was previously approved by the Interior Department in 2020. It requires the Secretary of the Interior to approve the plan within 30 days of enactment without modification or delay, allowing extraction of coal from approximately 800 acres of federal land in Musselshell County.
Why we flagged it
The bill is a single-project authorization that mandates approval of a specific mining plan for a named coal lease in one Montana county, removing normal administrative discretion and environmental review processes that would apply to other federal mining projects.
What the text implies
- The 30-day mandatory approval window with 'no modification or delay' language forecloses the Secretary's ability to impose new environmental conditions, mitigation measures, or to reconsider the plan in light of updated climate or water-quality science.
- By referencing a 2020-approved plan, the bill resurrects a decision made during the Trump administration that may have faced legal challenge or administrative reconsideration under different leadership; it locks in that prior approval retroactively.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
coal mining companies holding or operating Federal Coal Lease MTM 97988; coal industry