Central ND coal mine reclamation being abandoned

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A major coal mine land reclamation project in central North Dakota is being abandoned.

Public Service Commission filings say the contractor is leaving the project unfinished because of a money dispute. It involves the reclamation of more than 1,000 acres of Ward County land about seven miles southwest of Velva.

Public Service Commissioner Kevin Cramer says the work was supposed to be finished by mid-October. Cramer says a bonding company may be asked to finance the project's completion.

Smith Contracting of Butte, Mont., bid $1.22 million to finish the job. The company recently asked to be paid almost $3 million. The request was refused.

The work involves smoothing out some high walls of dirt left by abandoned coal mines.

Tags: daily updates, north dakota, energy, velva