Overview

• Signal Peak Energy is authorized to recover 22.8 million metric tons of federal coal and 34.5 million tons of adjacent non-federal coal, extending the mine’s life by nine years.
• The decision follows a January declaration of a national energy emergency that mandates expedited environmental assessments under the National Environmental Policy Act.
• The expansion is projected to sustain over 250 local jobs and inject more than $1 billion into Montana’s economy.
• The mine’s output of nearly 60 million tons will reinforce coal exports to Japan and South Korea under the administration’s broader Indo-Pacific energy strategy.
• Opponents argue the project poses risks to water resources and will increase greenhouse gas emissions.