State regulators authorized major expansion of a gravel pit next to Glacier National Park, The Associated Press reports. The Montana Department of Environmental Quality amended a permit that allowed operation on 2 acres to cover a total of 24 acres, the edge of which is about 600 feet from the river forming Glacier’s western boundary. A previous lawsuit over mining at the site resulted in a number of restrictions on its operations, including a prohibition on crushing operations during certain times of the year and limitations on how many acres of land can be mined at one time.

New Hampshire

Christian Zimmerman, president of Pike Industries, said the company has received 12 stimulus jobs worth a total of $80 million. According to The Telegraph, the extra work allowed him to create or save 250 jobs — a quarter of the company’s work force. “Back in August of last year, we had already been downsizing our organization from 2006, and we were looking at further cuts,” Zimmerman said. “Our state has led the way, I believe, in getting jobs out on the street.” He said stimulus road projects have been particularly speedy in New Hampshire because contractors worked with the state DOT to cut in half the time it takes for a project to get from bid to shovel. The federal stimulus package was estimated to create about 16,000 jobs in the state, but it is unclear how many of those have been documented, the newspaper reports.

New Mexico

In a 3-2 vote, Lincoln County commissioners approved a mining ordinance to govern activities not covered by state and federal regulations. Ruidoso News reports that small scale placer miners and sand and gravel operations essential to road construction in the county are exempt.