Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) today led Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) in introducing the Combating Obstruction Against Leasing (COAL) Act. This legislation codifies President Trump’s coal executive order, directing the Secretary of the Interior to expedite coal leasing processes and eliminate administrative delays related to qualified coal lease application. The COAL Act comes during National Coal Week, a resolution led by Senator Lummis to honor the nation’s coal industry.
“During National Coal Week, we are recognizing the tireless industry that powers our lives, and that starts with ensuring our coal producers can get projects moving quickly,” said Lummis. “The COAL Act would officially end the Biden and Obama administrations’ relentless war on coal and restore Wyoming coal as a cornerstone of America’s energy dominance. It’s a new day in the United States, and we must ensure disastrous anti-coal, anti-Wyoming policies designed to destroy coal mining in America are permanently relegated to the ash heap of history where they belong. I applaud President Trump and Secretary Burgum for recognizing coal’s vital role in keeping America’s lights on.”
“Coal is one of the most reliable and affordable sources of baseload power in the country,” said Barrasso. “We need to ensure we have consistent and predictable access to our federal coal resources. Senator Lummis’ COAL Act will prevent future administrations from playing politics and blocking production of this vital energy resource.”
Representative Harriett Hageman (R-WY) introduced the companion bill in the House of Representatives in January 2025.
BACKGROUND:
Specifically, the bill directs the Department of the Interior to:
– Publish environmental assessments and implementing regulations for pending applications
– Finalize fair market valuations of coal tracts
– Complete all intermediate steps necessary to approve leases
– Issue final lease approvals without unnecessary delay
The bill also nullifies Secretarial Order 3338, issued in 2016, which imposed a moratorium on new federal coal leases.
For the full bill text, click here.
To learn more about National Coal Week, click here.
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