PORCH PONDERINGS

The BBB comes to Signal Peak

Last Thursday I was part of a press event for Senator Steve Daines at Signal Peak Energy. Signal Peak is a coal mine here in Musselshell County. It employs 250 people. Pretty impressive operation that mines good quality coal, high BTU, low sulfur coal. But it is all shipped by rail to Vancouver, BC then to Japan. Hmm.

Here is my copy for the paper:

Senator Steve Daines visited the Signal Peak mine on Thursday, August 14. Senator Daines spoke to a gathered group of mine workers, guests and the press in the mine’s wash bay. The Senator explained how the passage of Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill was able to insure that Signal Peak mine will continue its operations. Our Senator assured the mine workers that Signal Peak Energy and the coal mining would be open for most of the next decade.

Daines explained that rural Montana is not understood by the East coast population of the nation. There is now a fight for coal and a fight for jobs. 250 employees at the mine are vital to the fabric of Roundup, Musselshell and Yellowstone counties, as well as Montana. Daines also pointed out that coal is vital to the United States. Without coal, the country does not have a base load source of power for the country.

As energy demand increases in our current world, coal will be a critical part of the equation.
Signal Peak Energy and its coal mining is the most efficient in the United States.

After the short visit with employees, Senator Daines and Montana State Senator Barry Usher, along with Roundup Mayor, Sandra Jones, and Parker Phipps, the Signal Peak Energy’s CEO and president, traveled underground to observe the mine.

The press took a surface tour of the mine. They were able to observe the loading process of coal to railroad cars. The process is controlled by computers as workers constantly monitor the moving cars, as well as the precise measuring of coal tonnage loaded. Most of this coal is shipped to Japan through Vancouver, B.C. All the power companies in Japan currently use Signal Peak coal.

There is a bright future, per Daines. We have more recoverable fuel in Montana. This is why we need to keep Signal Peak Energy viable and open, and keep these jobs in Montana.


I selected a few pictures as well. The usual, Senator speaking. Senator getting ready to go underground. The Signal Peak mine entrance. The press wasn't allowed underground. We could only stay on top. But that's alright. I got to see the loading in rail cars. That was impressive.

Seems they have to constantly spot the rail cars, as people occasionally climb into them. And if they see someone, which at times they do, they have to stop the train, get them out, and send them on their way. No one is allowed on the grounds of the mine without permission. To stay in a car with tons of coal loaded on top of you, well, you are dead in a few moments.

I also didn't get a picture of Trump's signature on some kind of executive action. Oh well. I can live without seeing that up close and personal.

When it came my turn to ask a question, and I was allowed just two, I stated, "Well, thank you Senator, you've answered all the questions I have. I am from Roundup and represent the Roundup Record-Tribune, a paper that has been continuously published since 1908. We have many subscribers still, locally and all over the country. Thank you for keeping the mine open. " Or something to that effect. Word salad. He stated I was a good advertisement for the paper. I could have asked about wind farms and data centers and environmental problems, but it wasn't the time or place to get controversial. I didn't have facts to back up any arguments.