For Belle Ayr and Eagle Butte, that’s not an option, he said. That low-heat product is all they have.

Travis Deti of the Wyoming Mining Association said it’s impossible to predict how 8400 coal will fit into the fuel mix going forward.

But the coal in the Powder River Basin remains a dependable source of energy across the country despite challenges, he said.

“I think we are in a better place than some of the other mining basins,” he said. “As the long glide away from coal over the next century evolves, the last shovel of coal is going to be mined out of the PRB”.

Clean up

Given the challenges to coal, and particularly to these two mines, some are watching the transfer to Blackjewel carefully.

For Shannon Anderson, a lawyer for the Powder River Basin Resource Council, the CEO’s environmental violations back East are concerning. The firm simply seems too willing to jump into a risky environment.

“They seem to be speculating, and they don’t have a proven track record,” she said.