The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) recently released the Spring Creek Mine Federal Mining Plan Modification Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Spring Creek Mine is in Big Horn County, Montana, about 32 miles north of Sheridan, Wyoming.

OSMRE prepared the EIS following a ruling by the District Court of Montana in 2021 that found its initial environmental analysis inadequate. The EIS analyzes the environmental impacts of the Navajo Transitional Energy Company’s proposed mine plan modification at the Spring Creek Mine.

The final EIS analyzes three alternatives in addition to the operator’s proposed action and identifies the partial mining alternative as the bureau’s preferred alternative. This alternative would involve the disturbance of an additional 78.5 acres and the extraction of an additional 19.3 million tons of federal coal.

During the 45-day public comment period for the draft EIS, OSMRE received 452 comments. OSMRE has considered and responded to all substantive comments received on the draft EIS and has revised the final EIS in response to public comments, where appropriate.

Following the close of the 30-day waiting period, OSMRE will sign and publish its record of decision and prepare and submit to the Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management a mining plan document recommending approval, disapproval, or conditional approval of the federal mining plan modification.

For more information on the project, visit https://www.osmre.gov/laws-and-regulations/nepa/projects.