Western Energy is proposing to expand its operations and extend the life of the Rosebud Mine by 8 years. ERO is assisting the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) and Montana DEQ in completing NEPA and Montana Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) analysis by developing an EIS to assess the environmental impacts of the coal mine expansion. The primary resources to be analyzed include air quality, climate change, surface and ground water quality and quantity, special status species, public health, and socioeconomics. The scope of this project was expanded based on recent litigation of OSMRE NEPA documents for coal mine permitting projects. The Draft EIS was recently published for public review and ERO is working on the Final EIS. Despite the many regulatory changes and federal involvement that have changed the course of the EIS, ERO has remained flexible and adapted to the changing schedule and work scope.
