By Darrell Ehrlick, Daily Montanan
Group says state’s environmental agency ignored groundwater concerns, sacred Native sites and safety record

A sign near the entrance of Bull Mountains Mine No. 1 which is operated by Signal Peak Energy in Roundup, Montana (Photo by Darrell Ehrlick of the Daily Montanan).
Three environmental groups are suing the Montana Department of Environmental Quality for approving an expansion for the Bull Mountain Mine that would open up more land for coal mining, but which the groups say would continue to damage water supplies for ranchers, destroy cultural artifacts sacred to Native American tribes and contribute significantly to climate change.