This bill directs the Secretary of the Interior to approve, without modification or delay, the "Bull Mountains Mining Plan Modification" (defined as Amendment 3 to Bull Mountains Mine No. 1, approved November 18, 2020). It authorizes mining of all federal coal reserves leased under Federal Coal Lease MTM 97988 on about 800 acres of federal land in T. 6 N., R. 27 E., Montana Principal Meridian, Musselshell County. The specific land parcels are the NE 1/4 of section 8, the SW 1/4 of section 10, and the W 1/2 SE 1/4 of section 22. The Secretary must approve the plan to the extent necessary to mine that land not later than 30 days after the date of enactment. The bill was introduced February 3, 2025, by Senators Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy and is placed on the Senate Legislative Calendar.
If you live, work, or own property near the listed sections, this bill would allow mining of the federal coal on those 800 acres under the approved Bull Mountains plan. The Interior Department would be required to approve the plan for that mining within 30 days after the law takes effect. For people not near the land, the bill applies only to the specific federal lease and parcels listed.
No publicly available information on costs, budgetary effects, or federal spending changes is included in the bill text or metadata.
The bill's text states its purpose is to allow mining of the specified federal coal consistent with the Bull Mountains Mining Plan Modification. No publicly available information in the bill text or metadata gives additional statements of proponents' reasons.
No publicly available information in the bill text or metadata describes opponents' views or objections.