Ch. 15 The Rocky Mountains: High in Elevations, Aspirations, and Appreciation

Billings is surrounded by six mountain ranges. Since it has the largest coal reserves within the U.S., they use the mountains for mining and raising livestock. There are twelve coal mines in Montana. Some coal mining is located in Billings’ mountains, such as the Bull Mountain. Mining in the Bull Mountain started during 1800s. An underground coal mining also takes place in Billings, called the Signal Peak Mine. It was closed during 2011 due to over limit of carbon monoxide found within the mine. Later, nitrogen was added to the mine to reduce the toxic gas within the safety standard, and it was reopened again. Often times, mining is being opposed by the local residents. Some people supported environmental care, and some supported job opportunities. Surely, underground mining can have many negative effects on the environment. It can affect the alpine lakes under the mineral deposit, because the faults that run through the deposit could create new rifts after the mining blasts. Mining can pollute the water with heavy metals, and affect the wildlife around it, such as decrease in amount of trout. The mining company can access to the mining land with the minimal price, which is allowed by the federal leasing arrangements. Often ignoring the environmental care due to the economic benefit, the mine operations have to be approved by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality and the Water Quality Act.

The Yellowstone National Park is located close to Billings, and it’s the world’s first national park. Over two millions of years, the North American plate has moved right above the continuous heat source from the mantel that came from the lava fields in Oregon’s east side’s Columbia Plateau called the hot spots. The hot spots in the park make hot springs. It is located over the Snake River Plain and the Yellowstone Plateau from the northern Rockies at the Wyoming and Montana border. The pressure within the magma has been building up over time, and there was an eruption about six thousand years ago. There were often times poor management on environment protections, such as suppressing fire to prevent further destruction of animals and their habitat and preventing the cattle from exposing to disease.

http://meic.org/2013/05/signal-peak-energy-violates-safety-standards-disputes-fines/