Coal Archives - Montana Environmental Information Center - MEIC https://meic.org/tag/coal/ Clean and healthful. It's your right, our mission. Fri, 06 Jun 2025 17:57:39 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://meic.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/cropped-MEIC_whitesmall-32x32.png Coal Archives - Montana Environmental Information Center - MEIC https://meic.org/tag/coal/ 32 32 Coal Mining, Signal Peak Making Moves at the Congressional Level https://meic.org/coal-mining-signal-peak-making-moves-at-the-congressional-level/ Thu, 05 Jun 2025 14:14:00 +0000 https://meic.org/?p=38687 by Derf Johnson The Trump Administration and the new U.S. Senate and House majorities have made no secret of their disdain for environmental protections and their apathy in tackling climate change. Elections certainly have consequences, and our democracy and environment will be reeling from the people in authority for decades to come. Pres. Trump’s slough …

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]]> Coal Mining: Repeating Past Legislative Mistakes https://meic.org/coal-mining-repeating-past-legislative-mistakes/ Thu, 05 Jun 2025 14:08:02 +0000 https://meic.org/?p=38701 by Derf Johnson Montana’s coal mining industry pursued a number of different legislative reforms during the 69th Legislative Session. While most of these passed and were signed into law by Gov. Greg Gianforte, the changes were relatively minor in terms of environmental and water quality-related protections. However, HB 587 (Rep. Gary Parry, R-Colstrip) made very …

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]]> Press Release: Montana Supreme Court Supports Ability of Public to Access Documents https://meic.org/press-release-2025-gianforte-bad-actor-right-to-know-press-statement/ Thu, 29 May 2025 15:39:46 +0000 https://meic.org/?p=38608 Montana Supreme Court Supports Ability of Public to Access Documents    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 29, 2025 MEDIA CONTACTS Anne Hedges, Montana Environmental Information Center, 406-443-2520, ahedges@meic.org Bonnie Gestring, Earthworks, 406-546-8386, bgestring@earthworks.org Helena, MT – On Thursday, May 29, the Montana Supreme Court ruled that public access to government documents is so important that the …

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]]> Press Release: President Grants Pollution Exemption to Coal Plant that Emits Most Air Toxins in the Nation https://meic.org/press-release-president-grants-pollution-exemption-to-coal-plant-that-emits-most-air-toxins-in-the-nation/ Tue, 08 Apr 2025 23:22:01 +0000 https://meic.org/?p=38130 The exemption will push the deadline for compliance with air toxics standards back by two years, despite every other similar coal plant complying with the rule.   CONTACTS Dr. Lori Byron, MD | 406-671-5824 | lori.byron@gmail.com Dr. Robert Merchant, Pulmonologist | 406-671-5767 | merch57@gmail.com Dr. Robert Byron, MD | 406-679-0584 | rgbyron@gmail.com Anne Hedges, MEIC …

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]]> Trump Round 2: Rolling Back Public Health and Environmental Protections https://meic.org/trump-round-2-rolling-back-public-health-and-environmental-protections/ Sun, 30 Mar 2025 14:15:02 +0000 https://meic.org/?p=38174 By Katy Spence On March 12, Pres. Donald Trump’s new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator Lee Zeldin proposed a giant step backwards for public health and the environment by announcing the intention to rollback dozens of environmental protections in what is likely the most massive deregulation of public health and environmental protections in U.S. history. …

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]]> Canadian Coal Mines & Water Pollution: IJC Update https://meic.org/canadian-coal-mines-water-pollution-ijc-update/ Sun, 30 Mar 2025 13:50:05 +0000 https://meic.org/?p=38232 By Katy Spence The International Joint Commission (IJC) has progressed in its pursuit to mitigate and reclaim the selenium pollution emanating from massive metallurgical coal mines in British Columbia’s Elk River, which flows across the Canada/U.S. border into Lake Koocanusa and into the Kootenai/y River. The IJC is the entity responsible for implementing the Boundary …

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]]> Statement from MEIC’s Anne Hedges: Gaslighting Americans is no way to protect clean air, water and land https://meic.org/statement-from-meics-anne-hedges-gaslighting-americans-is-no-way-to-protect-clean-air-water-and-land/ Wed, 12 Mar 2025 22:03:21 +0000 https://meic.org/?p=37897 Gaslighting Americans is no way to protect clean air, water and land Lying to Americans is no way to protect clean air, water and land. Unfortunately, that is exactly what the new administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) did today when he announced the most massive rollback in U.S. history for regulations that limit …

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]]> Montana DEQ Does Bidding of Signal Peak Coal Mine https://meic.org/montana-deq-does-bidding-of-signal-peak-coal-mine/ Tue, 10 Dec 2024 15:14:31 +0000 https://meic.org/?p=36758 by Anne Hedges Once again, MEIC was forced to challenge a Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) decision that gives a free pass to a corrupt mining company. In August, DEQ approved another expansion of Signal Peak Energy’s underground coal mine in the Bull Mountains. Time and time again, DEQ approves coal mine expansions for …

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]]> Sen. Daines Proposes Privatizing Federal Lands, Skirting Protections https://meic.org/sen-daines-proposes-privatizing-federal-lands-skirting-protections/ Tue, 15 Oct 2024 14:19:28 +0000 https://meic.org/?p=36338 By Derf Johnson Montana’s only underground coal mine is Signal Peak’s Bull Mountain Mine north of Billings near Roundup. It has been an environmental nightmare for Montana, producing enormous amounts of air pollution and entirely destroying the sparse water sources in the arid Bull Mountains. The mine is responsible for more than 14 million tons …

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]]> NorthWestern Energy Moves to Acquire Majority of Antiquated Colstrip Plant https://meic.org/northwestern-energy-moves-to-acquire-majority-of-antiquated-colstrip-plant/ Tue, 15 Oct 2024 14:18:29 +0000 https://meic.org/?p=36345 By Anne Hedges NorthWestern Energy is desperate for people to believe that our lights can only stay on if the utility owns more of the Colstrip plant. The Colstrip plant, a 1,500 megawatt coal-fired power plant, consists of two 40-year old units that are owned by six different companies (see graph). Each year, the plant …

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