DEQ Seeks Comment on Draft Environmental Assessment for the Red Lodge East Bench Mine Reclamation Project

HELENA—The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is seeking public comment on a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for the proposed Red Lodge East Bench Mine Reclamation Project in Carbon County, Mont. The project site includes a portion of Rock Creek and adjacent areas and is designed to repair damage to the site from June 2022 flooding, improve water flow to reduce potential future flooding impacts and to prevent additional erosion.

Coal was mined at the East Bench Mine site from 1887 to 1932 and the site therefore qualifies for reclamation under the Abandoned Mine Lands (AML) program. DEQ’s AML program oversees reclamation of eligible coal mine sites that were abandoned prior to the passage of the federal Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA). DEQ previously performed reclamation at the site in 1993, including erosion control and revegetation.

Public comment on the draft EA will be accepted until April 10, 2022, and comments can be submitted by mail or electronically. DEQ will hold an informational meeting regarding the Red Lodge East Bench Mine Reclamation Project on March 30, 2023. The meeting will be held from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Carbon County Historical Society & Museum, 224 Broadway Avenue North, Red Lodge. There will be an option to attend the meeting online via Zoom. To view the draft EA, or to learn more about the informational meeting or how to submit public comment please visit: https://deq.mt.gov/News/publiccomment-folder/news-article5

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Tags: Cleanup and Press Release