Gravel Pits in Montana

Montana Gravel Pits Need More Regulation

As Montana’s population continues to grow, and as more new houses, roads, and highways are built, many new gravel pits (also called open-cut mines) are being developed in the state. Montana’s laws contain only minimal provisions for regulation of Montana gravel pits. A spate of recent court rulings have left many people concerned about the pits and their impact on neighborhoods and the environment.

Map of opencut mines in Montana

The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has developed an interactive web mapping application that allows its users to utilize the same WMA that is used by Opencut staff to review applications for those sites Opencut permits and inspects throughout Montana. The map should load below, or you can view the map on Montana DEQ’s site.