AP: The US mulls opening public land in Western states to coal sales

AP: The US mulls opening public land in Western states to coal sales

The US government is considering reopening vast areas of public lands in two Western states to new coal sales, a move that reverses a previous policy aimed at reducing emissions. The Interior Department has proposed selling leases for coal mining on more than 2,600 square miles (6,800 kilometers) of federal lands in the Powder River Basin in northeastern Wyoming and southeastern Montana [1].

This proposal comes as part of President Donald Trump’s push to expand US fossil fuel production and is in line with his executive order signed on his first day in office. The move is a significant shift from the Biden administration's efforts to end federal coal sales due to climate change concerns. The Biden administration had calculated that an end to federal coal sales would reduce emissions by the equivalent of 293 million tons (266 million metric tonnes) of carbon dioxide annually [1].

The Interior Department's Bureau of Land Management has stated that the announcement about Powder River Basin leasing is preliminary and could change after a public comment period. The agency declined to specify how much interest it expects from mining companies or how quickly new mines could open [1].

Ashley Burke, with the National Mining Association, supports the proposal, noting that the US grid is stretched to its limits with energy demand soaring. She argues that reversing prior policies is necessary to acknowledge the nation’s energy reality [1].

However, environmental groups and scientists argue that expanding coal mining will exacerbate climate change. Jenny Harbine from Earthjustice asserts that the administration's efforts to expand coal mining on public lands will sell out communities to further enrich coal industry executives [1].

The proposal is part of a broader push to increase oil, gas, and coal extraction from publicly owned lands and waters in the US. The recent tax bill signed by Trump lowered royalty payments from 12.5% to 7% for companies that mine coal on public lands, and it mandates making available for leasing 6,250 square miles (16,200 square kilometers) — an area greater in size than Connecticut [1].

The move is part of a broader digital transformation initiative by the Ministry of Coal in India, which will launch a new Exploration Module on the Single Window Clearance System (SWCS) portal on July 4, 2025. The module will enable coal block allottees to submit exploration proposals online, track approvals in real-time, and manage compliance documents digitally [2].

In Utah, Sen. Mike Lee has proposed legislation that could make over 18 million acres of public land eligible for sale, including parts of popular ski resorts and hiking trails. The proposal calls for the mandatory sale of 3 million acres of public land over the next five years, chosen from a pool of 258 million acres across 11 Western states [3].

References:

[1] https://ktar.com/national-news/trump-administration-weighs-new-coal-sales-from-public-lands-in-montana-and-wyoming/5725722/

[2] https://www.business-standard.com/economy/news/coal-ministry-launch-digital-exploration-module-for-clearances-125070101458_1.html

[3] https://www.sltrib.com/news/environment/2025/06/18/mike-lee-heres-public-land-that/