H.R. 931 would authorize the mining of Federal coal reserves leased under MTM 97988 to be conducted in accordance with the Bull Mountains Mining Plan Modification. The plan modification is defined as Amendment 3 to the Bull Mountains Mine No. 1 and was previously approved by the Interior Department in 2020.
The bill then requires the Interior Secretary to approve that modification within 30 days of enactment, without modification or delay, to enable mining on a defined parcel of land in Montana. The land comprises about 800 acres in Musselshell County, with specific descriptions in Township 6 North, Range 27 East, Montana Principal Meridian, including portions of sections 8, 10, and 22.
At a Glance
What It Does
Defines the Bull Mountains Mining Plan Modification and ties it to Federal Coal Lease MTM 97988. Authorizes mining of the specified Federal coal reserves in accordance with that modification.
Who It Affects
Directly affected are the MTM 97988 leaseholder/operator, and the Interior’s Office of Land and Minerals Management. Local governance in Musselshell County and the surrounding mining ecosystem are also impacted.
Why It Matters
Establishes an expedited, prescriptive path to mining for a defined tract, potentially reshaping how pre-approved plans interact with active leases and federal permits.
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What This Bill Actually Does
The bill centers on a pre-approved modification to the Bull Mountains Mining Plan (Amendment 3 to the Bull Mountains Mine No. 1) and its application to a single Federal coal lease, MTM 97988. It authorizes mining of the coal reserves on an 800-acre parcel in Musselshell County, Montana, using that modified plan as the governing framework.
Crucially, the bill orders the Interior Department to approve the modification within 30 days of enactment, without modification or delay, to enable mining on the described land. The land parcels are narrowly defined: NE 1/4 of Section 8, SW 1/4 of Section 10, and the W 1/2 of SE 1/4 of Section 22 in Township 6 North, Range 27 East, Montana Principal Meridian.
The text anchors the action in a 2020 Interior concurrence memorandum and ties it to a specific lease, MTM 97988, rather than broadening its reach to additional lands or leases.
The Five Things You Need to Know
Section 1 defines Bull Mountains Mining Plan Modification as Amendment 3 to the Bull Mountains Mine No. 1 plan.
Section 2 authorizes mining of Federal coal reserves under MTM 97988 on the described land.
Section 2 requires Interior to approve the modification within 30 days of enactment, without modification or delay.
The land affected totals about 800 acres in Musselshell County, MT, with precise legal descriptions.
The bill references a 2020 Interior concurrence memorandum approving the plan modification as the basis for authorization.
Section-by-Section Breakdown
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Definition of Bull Mountains Mining Plan Modification
This section defines the Bull Mountains Mining Plan Modification as Amendment 3 to the Bull Mountains Mine No. 1, and notes it was approved by the Interior Department via a concurrence memorandum dated November 18, 2020. The definition sets the legal frame for how the modification governs subsequent mining under the MTM 97988 lease.
Mining of Federal Minerals
This section grants authority to mine the Federal coal reserves leased under MTM 97988 in the land described in subsection (c), to be mined in accordance with the Bull Mountains Mining Plan Modification. It also imposes a hard deadline: not later than 30 days after enactment, the Secretary of the Interior must approve the Bull Mountains Mining Plan Modification without modification or delay, to the extent necessary to mine the described land.
Description of Federal Land
This section specifies the land to be mined: approximately 800 acres in Musselshell County, Montana, delineated as NE 1/4 of Section 8, SW 1/4 of Section 10, and W 1/2, SE 1/4 of Section 22 in Township 6 North, Range 27 East, Montana Principal Meridian. The parcel is tied to Federal Coal Lease MTM 97988 and to the Bull Mountains plan modification defined in Section 1.
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Who Benefits
- The MTM 97988 leaseholder/operator gains expedited access to mining under a pre-approved plan, reducing delay and uncertainty.
- Local workers, contractors, and suppliers in Musselshell County stand to benefit from mining activity and related economic activity.
- Musselshell County and Montana state agencies can realize ongoing tax revenues, royalties, and broader economic activity from the mine operation.
Who Bears the Cost
- Environmental safeguards and oversight could face changes in timelines or scope due to expedited approval.
- Nearby landowners and communities may experience mining-related nuisances or environmental impacts associated with the operation.
- Other regional coal interests or leases might face competitive dynamics as approvals become more rapid within a defined tract.
Key Issues
The Core Tension
The central dilemma is whether a rapid, plan-specific approval process can be reconciled with thorough environmental review and local stakeholder input, or if accelerating a mining project for a defined tract comes at the expense of broader environmental and community considerations.
The bill creates a narrow, highly prescriptive pathway to mining on a specific 800-acre parcel by tying it to a pre-approved plan modification. That prioritizes speed for a targeted project, but it raises analytical questions about the sufficiency of environmental review and community input, given the stated requirement to approve without modification.
The language “to the extent necessary to mine the Federal land described” injects ambiguity about how environmental protections, land-use considerations, and potential cumulative impacts are treated within the expedited framework. The approach also concentrates policy action on a single lease area, which could set a precedent for similar “fast-track” actions across other lands, with unclear implications for federal oversight and local governance.
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