BILLINGS, Mont. – County governments, the family of a fallen miner and dentists are among those in Montana trying to collect more than $5 million from a Colorado coal company that is working through bankruptcy proceedings.
The Billings Gazette reports that Douglas County-based Westmoreland Coal Co., which owns three mines in the state, declared bankruptcy in October with more than $1.4 billion in debt.
The family of a Rosebud Mine employee has a $3 million claim against Westmoreland in bankruptcy court. Michael Ramsey was killed in 2017.
Big Horn and Treasure counties have claims against the company for property taxes, while Montana Dakota Utilities filed a nearly $137,000 claim for electricity.
There also are several claims by First Interstate Bank and two by Billings dentists.
