The Billings Gazette reported that Montana mines produced 15.1 million tons of coal in the first seven months of the year, down 21% compared to the same time last year.
Coal production in the Powder River Basin of northeastern Wyoming and southeastern Montana fell nearly 14% in the last quarter compared to the same period in 2018.
The Navajo Transitional Energy Co. recently bought Montana’s largest coal mine and two mines in Wyoming at auction after Cloud Peak Energy declared bankruptcy.