Powder River Breaks May – June 2019 Volume 47, Number 3
Last month, after a two-day hearing over Powder River’s objections to Contura Coal West’s proposal to transfer their permits for the Belle Ayr and Eagle Butte coal strip mines to Blackjewel LLC, the Wyoming Environmental Quality Council (EQC) postponed making a decision. The EQC wants more information regarding the process by which mine violations in other states affect and potentially block
the ability for Blackjewel to receive Contura’s coal mine permits. The mine violations in question were issued to Revelation Energy and other Appalachian coal companies owned by controversial businessman Jeff Hoops, who also owns Blackjewel. Both federal and state law requires these violations in other states to be disclosed and corrected before a permit can be issued in Wyoming.
“We want to thank the EQC for their time and attention, and we appreciate that they didn’t approve the mine permit transfers to Blackjewel. The council members understand the gravity of this situation and know that all legal requirements must be met before the permits are transferred from Contura to Blackjewel,” said Powder River Chair Joyce Evans.
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