Look West: Public lands and energy news from the Center for Western Priorities
** Montana coal mine causes sinking, puts nearby communities and wildlife in danger
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Wednesday, October 18, 2023
Bull Mountains Mine in Montana. WildEarth Guardians, Flickr ([link removed])
A coalition of conservation and environmental organizations i ([link removed]) s alleging ([link removed]) that a coal mine in Montana has failed to reclaim the land it has mined, creating unsafe conditions for nearby landowners, livestock, and agricultural producers.
The mine is Bull Mountains Mine, an underground coal mine operated by Signal Peak Energy that produces about 7 to 8 million tons of coal per year. The coalition is now seeking the federal government's intervention, arguing that the mine has created subsidence cracks—cracks that cause gradual sinking of an area—in the earth, some of them several feet across, dozens of feet deep and hundreds of meters long.
According to the petition ([link removed]) , “If immediate action is not taken, Signal Peak’s continued blatant violations of its legal obligations to reclaim land impacted by its mining activities will force ranchers and wildlife alike to desert the Bull Mountains.”
Unfortunately, the reluctance of Signal Peak Energy to remediate its environmental damages is not uncommon in the extraction industry. A recent Center for Western Priorities report ([link removed]) highlights the frequency with which bad actors like Signal Peak leave toxic messes and hazardous conditions across the West. While there are several environmental protection laws now in place that require mining companies to reclaim used lands, the foundational legal and regulatory frameworks that govern extractive industries remain severely outdated. In numerous instances, companies have chosen to violate the law and risk having to pay a penalty rather than comply with the law.
** Quick hits
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Scientists lay out a sweeping roadmap for transitioning the U.S. off fossil fuels
Grist ([link removed])
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service helps create bank of endangered species DNA
E&E News ([link removed])
Wildfire smoke can linger in Mountain West homes, study shows
KUNR ([link removed])
Filmmaker Renan Ozturk documents epic mountaineering feats as they happen. Now he’s resting up for the next adventure
Colorado Sun ([link removed])
The struggle to balance safety and public access at California's abandoned mines
Earth Island Journal ([link removed])
Saving Yellowstone for the grizzlies
New York Times ([link removed])
First-of-its-kind hiking permit may be required in Colorado’s gorgeous Blue Lakes
The Denver Post ([link removed])
Why you should be lazy and leave your leaves in the yard
Washington Post ([link removed])
** Quote of the day
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” That’s always been the Holy Grail for me: Bring back something beautiful and emotional that answers the question of why we climb, which has always been hard to explain. You need to create an emotion.”
—Renan Ozturk, filmmaker and photographer, Colorado Sun ([link removed])
** Picture This
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@smokeybear ([link removed])
It's the perfect season to 'leaf' your worries behind and enjoy the great outdoors. What's your favorite autumn activity? Let me know in the comments!
📷: @spirithiker ([link removed])
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