(Reuters) -The Trump administration announced plans on Tuesday for competitive coal lease sales this year in Alabama, Montana, and Utah as part of a broad government effort to bolster domestic coal production.
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT
The sales are part of President Donald Trump’s push to revitalize U.S. coal mining despite global efforts to transition to cleaner energy sources to cut planet-warming carbon emissions.
KEY QUOTE
“Coal has long been the backbone of America’s energy and industrial strength,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in a statement. “By moving forward with these lease sales, we are creating good-paying jobs, supporting local communities, and securing the resources that keep America strong.”
BY THE NUMBERS
In Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, the Interior Department’s Bureau of Land Management will offer two leases covering 14,050 acres (5,685.83 hectares) that are estimated to contain 53 million tons of metallurgical coal used in steelmaking. The sale will be held on September 30.
Utah’s Little Eccles Tract, spanning 120 acres in Emery County, holds an estimated 1.29 million tons of recoverable coal. The planned sale of that lease responds to an application by Canyon Fuel Company and will take place on October 1.
In Montana, BLM will hold a sale on October 6 for 1,262 acres with an estimated 167.5 million tons of coal in Big Horn County. The sale could potentially extend the Spring Creek Mine’s life through 2051. Navajo Transitional Energy Company is the operator of that mine and applied for the lease.
CONTEXT
Trump has signed executive orders aimed at boosting coal production, including designating metallurgical coal as a critical mineral. While coal-burning plants now generate less than 20% of U.S. electricity, Trump has argued that deregulation could revive the industry and support energy security. Critics, however, have pointed to coal’s declining competitiveness and environmental impact.
(Reporting by Nichola GroomEditing by Rod Nickel)
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