noah.rott@sierraclub.org
Washington, D.C. — Today, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) approved plans to stop coal mine expansions on public lands in the Powder River Basin, spanning Montana and Wyoming. The Powder River Basin is the source of 40 percent of all U.S. coal, and 85 percent of coal produced on public lands.
Sierra Club, with support from Bloomberg Philanthropies' Beyond Carbon, played a key role in limiting coal mining expansions in the Buffalo and Miles City resource management regions over the past decade, winning legal battles on the merits of climate pollution and harms to public health. In 2022, Sierra Club and allies successfully overturned illegal Trump-era resource plans that failed to adequately analyze environmental impacts of coal mining, violating the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
The Biden administration initially defended Trump-era resource plans but ultimately decided to choose a preferred alternative of stopping mining expansions instead of maintaining a dangerous status quo.
In response, Sierra Club Executive Director Ben Jealous released the following statement:
"Once again, President Biden and Interior Secretary Haaland are taking bold and ambitious climate action that will expand clean energy resources, bringing a historic number of jobs throughout the nation. The Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal campaign and economic headwinds continue to significantly cut demand for coal as clean, more affordable energy sources come online in record numbers. The transition to a future where public lands are a shared resource to be protected for future generations, not destroyed for short term profits that drive high energy costs for consumers, is within reach, and we will continue to work to make that a reality for us all."
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.