> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.bunchgrass.org/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Comments due Monday on water permits for Black Hills uranium mine; Boardman gas plant solar hearing Nov. 19 - URL: https://www.bunchgrass.org/comments-due-monday-on-water-permits-for-black-hills-uranium-mine-boardman-gas-plant-solar-hearing-nov-19/ - Published: 2026-11-04T15:35:03.000Z - Updated: 2026-11-04T15:35:03.000Z - Description: This week in land, water, and energy across the rural West: comments due Monday on water permits for the Dewey-Burdock uranium mine, a Nov. 19 hearing on solar at Oregon's Carty Generating Station, a Baker County gold mine review, and BLM's October lease sale results in Montana and North Dakota. - Author: Bunchgrass Staff - Tags: Land & Water, Black Hills, Eastern Oregon, Eastern Montana Monday, Nov. 9, is the deadline to comment on or contest state water permits for the proposed Dewey-Burdock uranium mine in the southern Black Hills. In Oregon, a public hearing is set for Thursday, Nov. 19, on adding solar and batteries to the Carty Generating Station near Boardman. And the Bureau of Land Management is taking comments through Nov. 20 on a 20-year gold mining plan in Baker County. Deadlines ahead: - Thursday, Nov. 5: applications for the Montana oil and gas board's December hearing - Monday, Nov. 9: Dewey-Burdock water permit comments and petitions - Tuesday, Nov. 17: Idaho geothermal lease sale - Thursday, Nov. 19: Carty hearing in Boardman - Friday, Nov. 20: Reeds Gulch gold mine and Rosebud Mine bond release comments - Monday, Nov. 23: Water Court objections, Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone - Wednesday, Nov. 25: Wyoming March 2027 lease sale comments - Friday, Nov. 27: early comments on Montana-Dakotas and Wyoming 2027 sales - Monday, Dec. 14: Carty written comments ## South Dakota ### Water for a Black Hills uranium mine Powertech (USA) Inc. has applied for two state water permits for its Dewey-Burdock in situ uranium project in southwestern Custer County and northwestern Fall River County. [Application No. 2914-2](https://danr.sd.gov/wrimage/pub/2914-2%5Fapp.pdf?ref=bunchgrass.org) would draw from the Inyan Kara Aquifer through up to 1,000 wells, with net withdrawals of up to 274.2 acre-feet a year. [Application No. 2915-2](https://danr.sd.gov/wrimage/pub/2915-2%5Fapp.pdf?ref=bunchgrass.org) would take up to 253.2 acre-feet a year from up to two Madison Aquifer wells for aquifer restoration and facility, domestic, and rural water supply, according to the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources hearing notices. The state Water Management Board will consider both at 10:45 a.m. Central time Wednesday, Dec. 2, in the Matthew Training Center of the Joe Foss Building, 523 E. Capitol Ave., Pierre. Chief engineer Adam Mathiowetz is recommending approval, according to [South Dakota Searchlight](https://rapidcitypost.com/southdakotasearchlight-government-f9b651f042?ref=bunchgrass.org), but sent the applications to the board because they present "important issues of public interest." The notices say his recommendation "is not final or binding upon the Board." Powertech, a subsidiary of enCore Energy, secured federal permits for the project earlier this year, Searchlight reported. Lilias Jarding, executive director of the Black Hills Clean Water Alliance, which opposes the project, told Searchlight that people she has talked to "are universally against it." How to weigh in: comments, petitions to oppose, and requests to delay the hearing are due Monday, Nov. 9, on forms linked from the deadline dates in the Powertech rows of the department's [public notices page](https://danr.sd.gov/public/default.aspx?ref=bunchgrass.org). A comment does not make someone a party. A petition must describe an injury to the petitioner that is unique from any injury to the public, and must be filed with both Powertech and the chief engineer, at the Water Rights Program, Foss Building, 523 E. Capitol, Pierre SD 57501 (605-773-3352). ### A 765-kilovolt line in eastern South Dakota The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission is reviewing an application from Xcel Energy and Otter Tail Power Co. for the PowerOn Midwest project, about 90 miles of 765-kilovolt line and 5 miles of 345-kilovolt line across Grant, Deuel, and Brookings counties, in [docket EL26-026](https://puc.sd.gov/Dockets/Electric/2026/EL26-026.aspx?ref=bunchgrass.org). The utilities estimate the cost at $1.3 billion to $1.7 billion and expect it in service in 2034, according to their [notice to landowners](https://puc.sd.gov/commission/dockets/electric/2026/EL26-026/AttachA.pdf?ref=bunchgrass.org). At October public input meetings, including one in Milbank, landowners raised setbacks, lease payments, and eminent domain, [SDPB reported](https://www.sdpb.org/business-economics/2026-10-26/opposition-to-765-kv-electric-transmission-line-evident-at-puc-public-comment?ref=bunchgrass.org). Tim Rogers, Xcel's senior manager for siting and land rights, said the project "will enhance the ability of the transmission system to move energy into and out of South Dakota," and a project representative said the regional grid operator, MISO, directed the build, according to SDPB. How to weigh in: the deadline to apply for party status was Tuesday, Nov. 3, but the commission accepts written comments from anyone by mail, personal delivery, or email until it decides. No evidentiary hearing date has been set. The commission's number is 605-773-3201. ## Oregon ### Solar and batteries at a Boardman gas plant Portland General Electric wants to add solar panels on up to 860 acres, 200 megawatts of battery storage, a substation, and about 9.9 miles of access roads at its [Carty Generating Station](https://www.oregon.gov/energy/facilities/Pages/CGS.aspx?ref=bunchgrass.org), a 450-megawatt natural gas plant about 12 miles southwest of Boardman in Morrow County. The site boundary would grow from 4,997 acres to about 5,249 acres. In a [proposed order](https://www.oregon.gov/energy/facilities/Facilities%20library/2026-10-30-CGSAMD4-Proposed-Order-on-RFA4-w-Attach.pdf?ref=bunchgrass.org), the Oregon Department of Energy recommends that the Energy Facility Siting Council approve it, finding that the facility with the changes "complies with all required standards," subject to new conditions. How to weigh in: the council holds a hearing at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19, at the Port of Morrow Riverfront Center, 2 Marine Drive, Boardman, and online. Written comments are due by 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 14, through the department's [online comment portal](https://odoe.powerappsportals.us/SitingPublicComment/?ref=bunchgrass.org) (choose "Carty Generating Station Amendment 4") or to senior siting analyst Chase McVeigh-Walker at Chase.MCVEIGH-WALKER@energy.oregon.gov, according to the [public notice](https://www.oregon.gov/energy/facilities/Facilities%20library/CGSAMD4-Public-Notice-of-RFA-Proposed-Order-and-Hearing-2026-10-30.pdf?ref=bunchgrass.org). The notice says people who want the council to reject or revise the order must raise their issues by then, with enough specifics for the council to respond; those who comment can take part in the response and reply rounds that follow in December and January. ### A gold mine near Hereford The Bureau of Land Management is reviewing the Reeds Gulch Mining Plan, a proposal to mine for gold across 820 acres of public land near Hereford in Baker County, [BLM said](https://www.blm.gov/press-release/blm-considers-new-gold-mining-plan-operations-near-hereford?ref=bunchgrass.org). Over 20 years, mining would take place on about half of that land, with test pits, excavation pits and trenches, a processing site, and three settling and recycling ponds, and no blasting. The operator would reclaim each site as work moves to the next. How to weigh in: comments on BLM's environmental assessment are due Friday, Nov. 20\. BLM prefers them through the [project's NEPA Register page](https://eplanning.blm.gov/Project-Home/?id=63150679-e7c8-f111-aaad-001dd8038b8a&ref=bunchgrass.org); they can also be mailed or delivered to the BLM Baker Field Office, Attn. Reeds Gulch EA, 1550 Dewey Ave., Suite A, Baker City, OR 97814. ### Siting council meets Nov. 19 and 20 The department plans to present its recommendation on the request to terminate the site certificate for the Boardman Coal Plant, and staff will likely bring final recommendations on two rules, on compliance and carbon monetary offsets, [according to the department's project updates](https://www.oregon.gov/energy/facilities/Pages/efsc-project-updates.aspx?ref=bunchgrass.org). Details will post on the [council's meetings page](https://www.oregon.gov/energy/facilities/Pages/council-meetings.aspx?ref=bunchgrass.org). ## Montana and North Dakota ### October lease sale results The Bureau of Land Management's Oct. 27 sale in Montana and North Dakota leased 20 parcels totaling 3,388 acres for $21.3 million in total receipts, [BLM said](https://www.blm.gov/press-release/blm-oil-and-gas-lease-sale-montana-and-north-dakota-generates-over-21-million-revenue?ref=bunchgrass.org). That is every parcel and acre BLM had [offered](https://www.blm.gov/press-release/blm-announces-october-2026-sale-oil-and-gas-leases-montanadakotas?ref=bunchgrass.org). Parcel-by-parcel results are on the [National Fluid Lease Sale System](https://nflss.blm.gov/?ref=bunchgrass.org) under the sale's "View Sale Documents." The same day, BLM opened scoping on 52 parcels covering 18,345 acres for a February 2027 sale. Comments are due Friday, Nov. 27, through the [project's ePlanning page](https://eplanning.blm.gov/Project-Home/?id=c7d763fd-0195-f111-ab0f-001dd8084607&ref=bunchgrass.org), [BLM said](https://www.blm.gov/press-release/blm-invites-initial-public-feedback-february-2027-oil-and-gas-lease-sale?ref=bunchgrass.org). ### Rosebud Mine bond release Westmoreland Rosebud Mining has asked the Montana Department of Environmental Quality to release part of its reclamation bond on about 10 acres in Phase II and 442 acres in Phase III of Area A at the Rosebud Mine near Colstrip. Comments are due Friday, Nov. 20, by email to DEQCoal@mt.gov, according to the [department's notice](https://deq.mt.gov/News/publiccomment-folder/RosebudASL18093026?ref=bunchgrass.org). ### Oil and gas board and Water Court Applications for the Dec. 10 hearing of the Montana Board of Oil and Gas Conservation are due by noon Thursday, Nov. 5\. The hearing is at 9 a.m. in the board's Billings hearing room, 2535 St. Johns Ave., [according to the board](https://dnrc.mt.gov/bogc/hearing-information/?ref=bunchgrass.org). Objections to the Montana Water Court's interlocutory decree for Basin 43D, the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone, must be received by the court on its forms by Monday, Nov. 23, [according to the court's notice](https://dnrc.mt.gov/%5Fdocs/water/adjudication/Decrees-2026/43D/Notice-of-Entry.pdf?ref=bunchgrass.org). ## Wyoming and Idaho ### Wyoming lease sales in 2027 The Bureau of Land Management is taking comments on 333 parcels covering 426,064 acres proposed for a March 2027 Wyoming lease sale, and the related environmental analysis. The [sale's ePlanning page](https://eplanning.blm.gov/Project-Home/?id=5EE8EB79-A895-F111-AB0F-001DD8084607&ref=bunchgrass.org) says comments close at 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 25; BLM's [news release](https://www.blm.gov/press-release/blm-invites-additional-public-feedback-march-2027-oil-and-gas-lease-sale-wyoming?ref=bunchgrass.org) gives Nov. 26. BLM has not announced the next step. For its December Wyoming sale, it followed the comment period with a [sale notice](https://www.blm.gov/press-release/blm-announces-december-2026-sale-oil-and-gas-leases-wyoming?ref=bunchgrass.org) that opened a 30-day protest period. Separately, scoping on 104 parcels covering 123,166 acres for a June 2027 Wyoming sale runs through Friday, Nov. 27, on [that sale's ePlanning page](https://eplanning.blm.gov/project-home/?id=259C7DDE-D9D2-F111-A05A-001DD8062477&ref=bunchgrass.org), [BLM said](https://www.blm.gov/press-release/blm-invites-initial-public-feedback-june-2027-oil-and-gas-lease-sale-wyoming?ref=bunchgrass.org). ### Idaho geothermal sale BLM will offer 35 geothermal parcels covering nearly 113,330 acres in Boise, Cassia, Clark, Elmore, Lemhi, Owyhee, Twin Falls, and Washington counties in an online sale through EnergyNet on Tuesday, Nov. 17, [BLM said](https://www.blm.gov/press-release/blm-hold-idaho-geothermal-lease-sale-strengthen-us-energy-security-and-boost-domestic?ref=bunchgrass.org). Half of bids, rentals, and royalties go to Idaho, a quarter to the county where each lease is located, and a quarter to the U.S. Treasury.