Coal

Federal officials say at least 30 applications from companies seeking to mine hundreds of millions of tons of coal face suspension as the government reviews sales of the fuel from public lands.

Preliminary government figures show U.S. coal production has fallen to its lowest level in nearly 30 years as cheaper sources of power and stricter environmental regulations reduce demand.

A group of conservationists and ranchers are asking federal transportation officials to deny a permit for a $400 million railroad that would serve a proposed coal mine near the Montana-Wyoming border.

Governor Steve Bullock held a press conference on Thursday regarding an executive order creating an Interim Montana Clean Power Plan Advisory Council.

Montana Attorney General Tim Fox issued a press release on Friday, stating that Montana will join a lawsuit with other states to challenge the EPA's overreach regarding carbon emissions.

This morning, September 17, Missoula Police officers were called out to the scene of a protest on the railroad tracks that cross Madison and Spruce Streets near the Rattlesnake Valley. Eyewitnesses report hearing some of the protesters saying "leave the coal in the ground" as others gathered to watch and take pictures...

Montana and Washington state lawmakers will meet this fall about the possibility of weaning Washington off of Montana coal.

'On August 3, President Obama and EPA announced the Clean Power Plan – a historic and important step in reducing carbon pollution from power plants that takes real action on climate change.' Those were the opening lines in a Monday news release from the EPA...

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — A federal appeals court has struck down pollution rules intended to reduce haze in the atmosphere from the burning of coal in Montana for electricity consumed across the Pacific Northwest. Haze reduces visibility and is caused by nitrogen oxide and sulphur dioxide pollution...

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — PPL Montana is seeking parties to buy or dispose of the pieces of its shuttered coal-fired power plant in Billings including 74 acres along the Yellowstone River.