Forest Service Releases Draft Decision On Possible Coal Mine Expansion

The decision consents to the BLM - if they choose to allow the expansion to happen at Arch Coal's West Elk Mine. The draft decision states that temporary roads will be allowed in the North Fork Coal Mining Area, a subset of the Sunset Roadless Area. There are no provisions requiring methane capture or flaring in this draft decision. If the expansion is allowed, it's estimated that over 10 million tons of coal will be extracted and that the life of the mine will be extended 1.6 years.