By Lauren Blair

Craig (January 20, 2017) — The Collom expansion at Colowyo Coal Mine received final approval from federal officials, according to a press release from Tri-State Generation & Transmission, Inc.

The expansion adds 28 acres to current federal coal leases and will give the mine access to another 79 million tons of federal coal. In turn, it helps secure Colowyo’s 220 jobs for at least another two decades.

"Given the shortfalls that the county is facing, anytime we get news like this, it may only be a portion of the pie, but it’s a huge portion," said Moffat County Commissioner and former Craig Mayor Ray Beck. "We know this won’t only impact our budget, but it will impact the local economy and local business."