An Open Editorial to Honorable Governor Gordon
July 3, 2019 The time has come for Wyoming to rise to the occasion and address the truth about the declining coal industry. Wyoming must step up to help Wyoming’s coal communities transition to a new future. The devastating impact to coal miners and the community of Gillette with the abandonment and hollowing out of […]
Powder River Statement on Blackjewel Bankruptcy
July 1, 2019 “Blackjewel’s bankruptcy filing is hardly a surprise. We have been raising questions with Wyoming regulators about the company’s financial stability and operatorship because this is exactly what we feared would happen. The entire history of the company’s involvement in Wyoming has had red flags, starting with the fact they were essentially gifted […]
Environmental Quality Council Raises Concerns Over Blackjewel Coal Mine Permit Approval
May 17, 2019 After a two-day hearing over Powder River Basin Resource Council’s (Resource Council) objections to Contura Coal West’s proposal to transfer their permits for Belle Ayr and Eagle Butte coal strip mines to Blackjewel LLC, the Wyoming Environmental Quality Council (EQC) postponed making a decision in order to gather more information regarding the […]
Powder River Statement on Cloud Peak Bankruptcy
May 10, 2019 “In light of Cloud Peak’s bankruptcy filing, we urge the State of Wyoming and county governments to aggressively participate in the bankruptcy proceedings on behalf of miners, taxpayers, and our environment. We are concerned that these mines will be transferred to entities with even less financial ability to meet tax and clean-up […]
Conservation Groups Question Cloud Peak Energy Mine Cleanup Bonds
April 8, 2019 Billings, Mont. — Conservation groups sent a letter on Friday to the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) requesting an investigation into the reclamation bonds at the Spring Creek Mine near Decker, Mont., owned by nearly-bankrupt Cloud Peak Energy. Inadequate bonding during bankruptcy could result in taxpayers picking up the tab for […]
Powder River Statement on New Coal Self-Bonding Rules
February 19, 2019 “Today is a proud moment for Wyoming: We now have the toughest self-bonding rules in the nation. With a 5-0 vote, the state Environmental Quality Council approved new rules limiting self-bonding of coal mines. This was a critical step allowing the state to better manage the risk of over $2 billion in […]
Scientists to present on Pavillion area oil & gas contamination
October 8, 2018 Three independent scientists who have investigated the oil and gas contamination in the Pavillion area will present their analysis on Thursday, October 18 from 6:00 to 8:30 pm at the Central Wyoming College, Intertribal Center, Room 125, in Riverton. The scientists presenting at the forum are: Mike Wireman, a hydro-geologist and former […]
Powder River Breaks July – August 2018
July – August 2018, Volume 46, Number 4 In July, Powder River released a new report that found only about 2.4% of approximately 206 square miles of land disturbed by 14 Wyoming coal mines has been fully reclaimed. “Reclaim Wyoming: Prioritize Reclamation” tracked reclamation statistics from these coal mines and investigated why the rate of […]
Report Shows Coal Reclamation Benefits Taxpayers and Creates Jobs
July 10, 2018 A new report has found that approximately 206 square miles of land from 14 Wyoming coal mines has been disturbed; however, only 2.4% of that land has been fully reclaimed. Today the Powder River Basin Resource Council (Resource Council) published a report “Reclaim Wyoming: Prioritize Coal Mine Reclamation” which tracked reclamation statistics […]
Reclaim Wyoming: Prioritize Coal Mine Reclamation
Wyoming’s coal mining legacy dates back to the arrival of the Union Pacific Railroad in 1897.1 The state is home to some of the largest coal mines on earth, including the top eight active U.S. mines. Combined, Wyoming mines account for 41% of coal production in the U.S., about the same as the next seven […]
