The Department of the Interior today announced the approval of the mining plan modification for the Bull Mountains coal mine in Montana, a key step in advancing President Donald J. Trump's energy emergency directives and strengthening U.S. energy partnerships abroad. The action authorizes Signal Peak Energy, LLC to recover approximately 22.8 million tons of federal coal and 34.5 million tons of adjacent non-federal coal, extending the life of the Bull Mountains Mine by up to nine years.
"This is what energy leadership looks like," said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. "By unlocking access to coal in America, we are not only fueling jobs here at home, but we are also standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our allies abroad. President Trump's leadership in declaring a national energy emergency is allowing us to act decisively, cut bureaucratic delays and secure America's future through energy independence and strategic exports."
The mine, located in Musselshell and Yellowstone Counties, employs over 250 workers and supplies critical energy exports to U.S. defense allies Japan and South Korea. The project is expected to generate over $1 billion in combined local, state and county economic benefits, including wages, taxes and business activity.
The Department completed its environmental impact statement and issued a record of decision under newly established alternative arrangements for compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act. These arrangements were adopted pursuant to the national energy emergency declared by President Trump on January 20, 2025. Notably, the Environmental Impact Statement contains significantly more analysis than is required under NEPA, given the U.S. Supreme Court's recent ruling in Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County, Colorado.
"This decision reflects our commitment to balancing economic prosperity, national security, and environmental responsibility," said Adam Suess, Acting Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management. "The Bull Mountains project is proof that we can meet urgent energy needs, work with local communities and uphold strong environmental standards."
The approval follows an extensive public participation process led by the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, including a public meeting, two public comment periods and analysis of 667 individual comments submitted.
