..TRIP MINING AND CONSERVATION 



(Excerpts from an article by S. L. Groff, Chief 

 Ground Water & Mineral Fuels Division, Montana 

 Bureau of Mines & Geology) 



Montana's coal resources and coal land lease 

 activity have been much in the news in recent 

 months. The nation's growing need for fossil 

 fuel energy sources has focused attention on the 

 vast Fort Union coal region of northern Wyoming, 

 eastern Montana, and western North Dakota. This 

 region contains the largest reserve of coal on 

 earth, and it is only natural that industry is 

 looking at Montana's coal and the necessary 

 water resources essential for production of 

 electric energy, liquid fuel, and coal gas. 



The Conservation Issue 



Many citizens view the spoil piles and debris 

 of a bygone mining era with apprehension and 

 fear that a new industrial mining program will 

 tear up the ea|;th and destroy its beauty and 

 usefulness. Some such citizens would favor 

 strong preventive measures prior to the initia- 

 tion of large scale mining. Some would insist 

 on complete surface restoration, and go so far 

 as to recommend and accept statutory measures 

 that would seriously impede, if not prohibit, 

 progress for the revital ization of the Montana 

 coal industry. 



On the other hand, some segments of the in- 

 dustry. Itself, impelled by the profit motive, 

 might well be inclined to the practice of im- 

 proper conservation measures — or worse, to a 

 denial of the necessity of any conservation 

 practices at al I . 



The conservation issue, by all reasonable 

 tenants, lies between these extremes. It will 

 require consultation and cooperation of the 

 various groups to achieve the "happy media" so 

 necessary to both citizens and industry. 



It is the business of both the Coal Council, 

 which serves as the State's coal promotional 

 body, and the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geo id 

 gy to be familiar with coal and coal matters. 

 Therefore, both the Counci I and the Bureau are 

 interested in conservation practices following 

 coal extraction, and is preparing considered 

 rules and regulations for" the future. 



Recommendations and Conclusions 



Shortly after the State coal lands auction, o 

 May 27, the executive committee of the Coal 

 Council will meet for the purpose of creating 

 a joint committee to consider practical legisl 

 tlon pertinent to conservation practices in 



Wonder what the skirt 

 designers will be up to next. 



strip mining. The joint committee will be 

 formed of representatives from pertinent state 

 agencies (including SWCD), industry, interestec 

 citizens, and legislators. 



It is anticipated that this committee can 

 provide the State Legislature with adequate, 

 equitable, and comprehensive recommendations 

 by the 1969 session. The realization that a 

 thorough study should precede the drafting of 

 legislation is a necessity. Preliminary 

 studies by the Bureau of Mines and Geology 

 show the inapplicability of laws now in effect 

 in the east and middle west. Conditions of 

 climate, soil, and- occurrence of water very 

 widely, and it is indicated that the semi-arid 

 western states will be forced to enact origlnar 

 statutes of their own. 



Present thinking of technical persons are 

 along the lines that each case (each stripping 

 operation) has its own pecularlties, and must 

 be considered on an individual basis. The con- 

 cept of surface restoration is not tenable in 

 the great majority of the coal mining areas 

 of the Fort Union Region. The concept of 

 "restoration to a condition tn keeping with 

 the concept of best beneficial use" is believed 

 to be far more practical. This, for example, 

 involves considering to what use a particular 

 stripped area might be put. In one case, fish 

 ponds, seed grasses, trees, and game might be 

 considered as best; in another case, the area 

 may be amenable to irrigation, soil restoration 

 and agricultural pnactice. 



DATES TO REMEMBER 



Meeting of Supervieore tf NACD Northern Great 

 Plains Area - Jackson, Wyoming, June 12 - 14, 



Meeting of Montana Association of Soil and 

 Water Conservation District Directors - 

 Bozeman, Montana - June 15. 



Meeting of State Soil Conservation Cormittee 

 Members - Bozeman, Montana - the evening of 

 June 14, and June 15. 



Montana Association of Soil and Water Conser- 

 vation Districts and State Forester "Show-Me 

 Trip" to North Dakota to observe tree planting 

 program of North Dakota Association and Distrio\ 

 June 6-9. 



Soil Stewardship Week - May 15 - 22. 



Montana Stockgrowers Association Annual 

 Convention - May 19-21, Great Falls, Montana. 



He : "You NEED me . " 

 She: "I need you like Richard 

 Burton needs a recreation room " 



