ROCK SPRINGS — The Department of the Interior will prepare an environmental impact statement for a proposal to allow Black Butte Coal Company to expand its access to coal reserves in Sweetwater County.
The mine, originally opened in 1977, provides coal to the Jim Bridger Power Plant. The proposal would allow development of two pits that would provide access to 9.2 million tons of coal while disturbing 450 acres of land. The department says Black Butte Coal plans to operate through at least 2039.
The proposal is being fast-tracked by the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, and aims to complete the environmental review in 28 days. A virtual public scoping meeting will take place Aug. 18 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Attendees can register and comment through Zoom, with a phone-in option being available upon registration. The Zoom Meeting ID is 161 409 2798, while the passcode is 114452.
Written comments must be submitted by Aug. 21. The written comments can be submitted by:
- Email: BlackButteEIS@tetratech.com (Subject line: ATTN Black Butte Mine EIS)
- Mail: ATTN: Black Butte Mine EIS c/o Charlie Kwak OSMRE Western Regions 5, 7–11
P.O. Box 25065
Lakewood, CO 80225-0065
Wyoming Sen. Cynthia Lummis praised the decision to accelerate the process.
“Every single day, the Trump administration delivers new results that prove they’re actually fighting for American energy independence,” Lummis said in an emailed statement. “I’m thrilled to see President Trump and Secretary (Doug) Burgum cut through the liberal bureaucracy to start unleashing 9.2 million tons of reliable, clean Wyoming coal that the previous administration tried to kill. The Trump administration stands for grid reliability, Wyoming’s energy families, and our incredible workers – not the radical environmental agenda that destroys American energy and jobs.”
