Commissioners hear concerns over mine plans

A planned 317-acre bentonite mine close to Pine Haven has caused raised eyebrows among town residents, two of whom visited the Crook County Commissioners last week to share their concerns.

The Keyhole State Project is under the auspices of Black Hills Bentonite LLC and will be situated on land leased from the state. According to the company's permit application to the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), 17 homes are located within a mile of the active site, the nearest of which will be within 400 feet.

Several local landowners made comments on the matter after the proposed mine...