The Trump administration is wasting no time in pushing ahead with a major coal project in Wyoming. On Wednesday, the Department of the Interior announced it’s hitting the gas on the environmental review for the Black Butte Mine expansion in Sweetwater County — a move officials say is key to shoring up America’s energy security.
The plan? Let Black Butte Coal Company tap into an additional 9.2 million tons of federally owned thermal coal, enough to keep the Jim Bridger Power Plant humming for years. The expansion would open up two new mining areas, Pits 10 and 15, across about 450 acres, extending operations through at least 2039.
This fast-track review comes under emergency authorities triggered by President Donald J. Trump’s Jan. 20, 2025, national energy emergency declaration. It also aligns with his executive order to “reinvigorate” the country’s coal industry — a sector the administration has framed as vital to jobs, the grid, and national security.
“We’re cutting red tape and putting American energy back where it belongs — at the center of a strong and sovereign nation,” said Adam Suess, Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management.
Instead of the months or even years such reviews typically take, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement aims to wrap this one up in just 28 days.
A virtual public scoping meeting is set for Aug. 18 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. MDT, with registration available via Zoom. Comments can be submitted until Aug. 21 by email or mail.
For full details — including how to attend, weigh in, or read up on the project — visit the OSMRE website here.
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