Feds Hit Pause on Wyoming and Montana Mining Rule Changes

2025-21443 — Rescission of Fee Rates

The Office of Surface Mining is officially wiping away old coal fee rates that covered 2012 to 2021 because they’re outdated. New fee rates have been in place since October 1, 2021, and this rule makes it official starting January 27, 2026—unless folks speak up by December 29, 2025. This change mainly affects coal producers and keeps the fee system fresh and fair for years to come.

2026-10202 — Kentucky Regulatory Program

Kentucky’s surface mining rules just got a fresh update! The state fixed some old rules, removed temporary ones, and cleaned up wording to keep things clear and smooth. These changes kick in on June 22, 2026, affecting coal mining companies and regulators, but won’t cost anyone extra.

2026-06892 — Wyoming Regulatory Program

Wyoming wants to update its coal mining rules to make it easier to adjust reclamation bond estimates without treating them as bond release requests. This change affects coal companies and regulators by clarifying how bonds are handled, with no new costs expected. You can share your thoughts by May 11, 2026, and there might be a public hearing on May 4 if enough people ask for it.

2026-06197 — Backfilling and Grading

The Office of Surface Mining is officially removing an old rule about how quickly mining sites must be backfilled and graded, a rule that’s been on the books but never really used since 1992. After checking public feedback, they found no big issues and confirmed the rule change will take effect on March 30, 2026. This update affects mining companies by giving them clearer, simpler guidelines without extra deadlines or costs.

2025-21782 — West Virginia Regulatory Program

The Office of Surface Mining gave West Virginia’s coal mining rules a thumbs-up with some tweaks! They approved most changes, gave a cautious nod to a few, and said no to one. These updates kick in January 2, 2026, affecting coal miners and regulators, keeping mining safer and cleaner without extra costs.

2025-21791 — West Virginia Regulatory Program

The Office of Surface Mining has approved some updates to West Virginia’s rules for coal mining permits, focusing on bonding, topsoil care, and land cleanup. These changes affect mining companies renewing permits or managing inactive sites and start on January 2, 2026. The updates aim to keep mining safer and cleaner without adding big costs or delays.

Previous: 2025-02578 — Safety Zone; Potomac River, District of Columbia

The Coast Guard is setting up a temporary safety zone on the Potomac River between the 14th Street Bridge and the Woodrow Wilson Bridge to keep people and boats safe after an aircraft accident. Only authorized boats can enter this area while first responders and dive teams work. This means boaters in the area need to follow new rules for a while to stay safe.

Next: 2025-02659 — Glen Canyon National Recreation Area; Motor Vehicles; Delay of Effective Date

The start date for new motor vehicle rules at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is pushed back from January 13 to March 21, 2025. This delay gives everyone more time to get ready and makes sure the rules get a good review. Visitors and drivers planning trips or activities there should note the new timeline but won’t see any immediate cost changes yet.