Miles City Field Office Proposed Resource Management Plan Amendment and Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement

Intent To Amend the Resource Management Plan for the Miles City Field Office, Montana, and Prepare an Associated Environmental Assessment

The BLM Montana/Dakotas State Director has issued a Notice of Intent to amend the Miles City Field Office Resource Management Plan and prepare an associated Environmental Assessment. The amendment's purpose is to re-evaluate coal allocations across approximately 2.7 million surface acres and 11.7 million acres of Federal coal mineral estate in eastern Montana, driven by recent executive orders directing expanded energy development. Two preliminary alternatives are under consideration: a No Action alternative reflecting a 2024 RMP amendment that made zero acres available for coal leasing, and a Proposed Action restoring availability of 1,214,380 acres for further leasing consideration as established in a 2021 RMP amendment. The scoping comment period closes August 7, 2025.

BLM Director's Response to the Montana Governor's Appeal of the BLM Montana/Dakotas State Director's Governor's Consistency Review Determination for the Miles City Field Office Proposed Resource Management Plan Amendment and Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement

This Federal Register notice publishes the BLM Director's response to Montana Governor's appeal of the BLM Montana/Dakotas State Director's Governor's Consistency Review determination for the Miles City Field Office Proposed Resource Management Plan Amendment (RMPA) and Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (Final SEIS). The RMPA/Final SEIS was prepared in response to a federal district court order and analyzes coal leasing alternatives, coal screens, and public health impacts from fossil fuel development. The Governor raised three consistency objections centered on state trust land revenues, energy policy, and coal revenue trust funds, recommending the BLM withdraw the RMPA/SEIS. The BLM Director rejected that recommendation on November 6, 2024, finding it did not provide a reasonable balance between state and national interests.

Notice of Availability of the Proposed Resource Management Plan Amendment and Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the Miles City Field Office, Montana