BLM Scraps Montana Coal Plan Update, Keeps 2015 Rules
Published Date: 6/4/2026
Notice
Summary
The Bureau of Land Management is stopping the update process for the Miles City Resource Management Plan in Montana. This means the 2024 plan changes, including coal decisions, are canceled, and the older 2015 plan (with some 2021 updates) stays in charge. This change saves agency resources and takes effect immediately, affecting local land use and planning.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.
Nearly 7 Million Acres Available for Coal Leasing
The Secretary implemented section 50203 of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Pub. L. 119-21 (2025)) and maintained acreage from the 2021 Record of Decision, resulting in 6,989,390 BLM-administered coal acres available for further consideration for leasing in the Miles City Field Office.
Miles City RMP Amendment Terminated Immediately
The Bureau of Land Management discontinued the land use planning and NEPA process announced in the notice of intent published July 8, 2025. The discontinuation took effect on the date this notice was published in the Federal Register (June 4, 2026), so the Miles City Field Office will not complete that Environmental Assessment or plan amendment.
2024 RMP Amendment Nullified; 2015 Plan Restored
A joint resolution disapproving the November 2024 Miles City Resource Management Plan Amendment was signed into law on December 11, 2025 (Public Law 119-48), so the 2024 amendment is treated as though it never took effect. The 2015 Miles City Field Office Resource Management Plan, as amended in January 2021 and as otherwise amended (except by the disapproved amendment), is now in effect for the Miles City Planning Area.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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