This decision, after years of outcry from local residents and litigation, will protect communities, air, water, and the climate from the harms of mining and burning six billion tons of highly polluting coal.
On May 16th, 2024, the Biden administration announced that it will end federal coal leasing in the Powder River Basin. The basin, covering northeastern Wyoming and southeastern Montana, is the largest coal-producing region in the United States producing more than 85% of all federal coal. The decision represents a historic shift in federal management of coal in the region, recognizing the environmental and health impacts on coalfield communities and acknowledging that the market has shifted away from coal toward cleaner and more affordable energy sources.
“Coal has powered our nation for many decades, but technology, economics and markets are changing radically,” said Paula Antoine, WORC’s Board Chair.
“As someone who lives near some of the largest coal mines in the nation, I’m thankful for the leadership from the BLM in finally addressing the long-standing negative impacts that federal coal leasing has had on the Powder River Basin.”
Lynne Huskinson
Coalfield communities in the Powder River Basin have experienced the harmful impacts of mining federally leased coal since the 1970s. “For decades, mining has affected public health, our local land, air, and water, and the global climate,” said Lynne Huskinson, retired coal miner and board member of Powder River Basin Resource Council and Western Organization of Resource Councils from Gillette, Wyoming. “As someone who lives near some of the largest coal mines in the nation, I’m thankful for the leadership from the BLM in finally addressing the long-standing negative impacts that federal coal leasing has had on the Powder River Basin.”
The Bureau of Land Management released a final supplemental environmental impact statement for two Powder River Basin resource management plans, Buffalo and Miles City, finding that there would be significant impacts to our climate, human health, and the environment from continuing to lease the region’s approximately six billion tons of highly polluting coal. BLM selected a “no future coal leasing alternative,” under which existing mines can develop already-leased reserves but cannot expand with publicly-owned coal reserves.
Keep up to date with grassroots organizing in the West with WORC’s newsletter.
“The BLM released a common sense plan that reflects the reality of today’s coal markets,” said Mark Fix, a Miles City, Montana. rancher and member of Northern Plains Resource Council. “Coal companies in this region already have decades of coal locked up under leases, and it’s hard to imagine they’ll find buyers that far into the future given the competition from more affordable energy sources. This plan protects taxpayers from wasting publicly-owned resources on lowball leases to subsidize an industry in decline.” The coal mines in the region have sufficient coal under lease to continue to operate until between 2035-2060.
“BLM’s announcement recognizes that coal’s era is ending. It’s time to focus on supporting our communities through the transition away from coal, investing in workers, and moving to heal our lands, waters and climate as we enter a bright clean energy future.”
Paula Antoine, WORC’s Board Chair
In 2022, in response to a challenge from conservation groups, including WORC, a federal judge found that the two resource management plans failed to address the public health consequences of allowing massive amounts of coal, oil, and gas production from public lands and minerals in the Powder River Basin over 20 years. The court ordered BLM to redo its environmental analysis.
In the ruling, U.S. District Judge Brian Morris found that BLM failed to comply with a previous court order directing the agency to account for the environmental and human health impacts of burning publicly owned coal. The judge also held that BLM failed to consider alternatives that would limit or end new coal leasing in the Powder River Basin in violation of the National Environmental Policy Act.
“BLM’s announcement recognizes that coal’s era is ending,” Antoine said. “It’s time to focus on supporting our communities through the transition away from coal, investing in workers, and moving to heal our lands, waters and climate as we enter a bright clean energy future.” BLM’s decision allows the agency to do just that.
Learn more:
Northern Plains leader testifies to Congress about the need for federal coal leasing reforms
Final OSMRE Rule Restores Important Citizen Complaint Process for Coal Mines
As Coal Plants Close, Colorado Focuses on Just Transition
Yes, I want to help WORC elevate Western voices and hold decision-makers accountable!