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Campbell County ups Bishop Road investment to $6M to unlock millions in coal revenue

Campbell County Public Works Director Matthew Olsen speaks with the Board of Commissioners on Nov. 7, 2024. (GPA-TV screenshot)

GILLETTE, Wyo. — On Nov. 7, the Campbell County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to increase funding for the Bishop Road reconstruction project to $6 million.

The decision amends two existing agreements, raising the total project funding from $5 million to $6 million.

Public Works Director Matthew Olsen presented the request, explaining that the project — a partnership with Prairie Eagle Mining and the Wyoming Energy Authority — had exceeded its initial estimated cost of $10 million. The final construction cost reached $17 million, with Prairie Eagle covering the $7 million overage.

Roadwork on Bishop Road on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. (Julianna Landis/ County 17)

Commissioners Del Shelstad and Jim Ford strongly advocated for the funding increase, emphasizing the project’s significant economic benefits to the county. Relocating Bishop Road allowed Prairie Eagle Mining to access an estimated 90 million tons of coal, generating substantial tax revenue for both the county and the state. Shelstad said the length of time to complete the project impacted costs via inflation.

“Seems awful to me that we take so long to do things we get over-budget sometimes,” Shelstad said, “but I don’t want to understate the fact that Prairie Eagle and NTEC both took over mining operations that were broke and picked up the tax burden, paid that willing.”

Shelstad said there is a projected $59 million in additional county production tax revenue and a total economic impact of over $205 million. He praised Prairie Eagle Mining for its commitment to the community, particularly for assuming the increased project costs.

Ford broke down the original $10 million project costs, stating the county and Prairie Eagle chipped in $2.5 million each for the state’s matching $5 million. When the costs exceeded that, Prairie Eagle paid the $7 million overage to see the project through, Olsen confirmed.

The additional $1 million will be accessed through the Wyoming Energy Authority’s matching funds program. This requires the county to initiate the request, as the funds cannot be directly allocated to a private entity.

The agreement is attached below:

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