Governor Greg Gianforte on Thursday praised the Trump Administration’s approval of a crucial mining permit for the Signal Peak Energy coal mine, calling the move a major victory for Montana coal miners and a lifeline for American energy independence.
The U.S. Department of the Interior, under Secretary Doug Burgum, authorized Signal Peak to move forward with a long-delayed expansion of the Bull Mountains Mine. The permit allows the company to extract approximately 22.8 million tons of federal coal and an additional 34.5 million tons of adjacent non-federal coal—effectively extending the life of the mine by up to nine years.
“This is a long-awaited victory for Montana coal miners,” said Governor Gianforte in a statement. “In the last four years under Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, we witnessed an all-out war on American energy as they dragged their feet and jeopardized our job-creating coal mines across the country. Without today’s action, our energy security and the jobs of 250 hardworking miners were at risk.”
The permit approval follows a federal judge’s earlier decision to block a 175-million-ton expansion of the mine, leaving Signal Peak projecting it could be forced to shut down by the end of 2025. The new permit now secures the mine’s future and is expected to generate over $1 billion in local, state, and county economic benefits through wages, taxes, and regional business activity.
Gianforte also credited former President Donald J. Trump for revitalizing coal production in the U.S., noting the permit is the first in the nation approved under a series of new executive orders signed in April aimed at restoring coal development on federal lands.
“I’m grateful to President Donald J. Trump and Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum for recognizing the importance of increasing production of American-made energy to secure our energy future,” Gianforte said. “Energy security is national security. The coal mined by Signal Peak will not only protect America’s energy independence, but will be a source of affordable, reliable energy for our allies—so they don’t have to rely on the enemies of Western Civilization to keep their lights on.”
The Signal Peak mine, located near Roundup, has produced more than 100 million tons of coal over the past 15 years, with most exports headed to Japan. Governor Gianforte visited the site this spring during his fifth annual 56 County Tour, where he met with miners and energy leaders who praised the Trump Administration’s support for domestic energy production.
By: DNU staff