Wyoming's newest proposed coal mine faces more public scrutiny during virtual conference

Public scrutiny has long trailed a company’s bid to build a new coal mine in northern Wyoming. For nearly a decade, coal technology firm Ramaco Carbon has fought to revive mining at a site just outside Sheridan to feed its future research facilities. But hiccups with a state permit application and opposition from several nearby landowners have hindered the project from breaking ground.

In March, the project appeared to be inching closer to reality when Wyoming’s Department of Environmental Quality declared the company’s revised permit application to mine “technically complete.” The announcement opened up a 60-day public comment period. Over 100 comments flooded the agency, both for and against the new mine.

The Department of Environmental Quality’s director Todd Parfitt holds the authority to approve or reject the permit application for Ramaco Carbon’s dream coal mine. But before rendering a decision, state regulators hosted an informal conference online on the matter Wednesday, inviting both the company and public to speak.

The tenor of the daylong, virtual conference was starkly divided between opposing sides and underscored the tension surrounding the battle to bring the newest coal mine to fruition in Wyoming.

Read more: https://trib.com/business/energy/wyomings-newest-proposed-coal-mine-faces-more-public-scrutiny-during-virtual-conference/article_bc3fbb05-3e87-5731-93f6-f25db885ffe7.html
(Casper Star Tribune)