Coal Leasing Halts in the Powder River Basin

Christina Thompson (Anchor, EarthxNews): In a move affecting 13 million public acres of land across Wyoming and Montana, the Bureau of Land Management has announced an end to coal leasing on federal lands in the Powder River Basin.

The Basin accounts for about 44% of all U.S. coal production producing around 260 million tons of coal in the year 2022.

Assessments from the Bureau of Land Management will permit current federal leases to be preserved which will allow for continued mining through 2040 in Wyoming and through 2060 in Montana. Republican lawmakers across both states have spoken out against these new rules, with Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon promising to look at legal options to challenge this rule.