BILLINGS – Signal Peak Energy, LLC, which operates an underground coal mine near Roundup, today admitted to criminal charges that it willfully violated health and safety standards and has agreed to pay a $1 million fine as part of proposed plea agreement, Acting U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.

Signal Peak Energy, through a representative, pleaded guilty during an initial appearance and plea hearing to an information charging it with four counts of willful violation of a health and safety standard, a misdemeanor. The maximum penalty is a $250,000 fine.

A plea agreement recommends that...