Gillette, WY – The Biden administration announced today that it will end coal leasing in the Powder River Basin – the largest coal-producing region in the United States. The decision represents an historic shift in federal management of coal in the region, recognizing that the market has shifted away from coal as an electricity source as states and energy-consuming companies seek out cleaner and more affordable energy sources.
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.
Great Falls, MT – The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals today ruled that a lawsuit from the Northern Cheyenne Tribe and conservation groups that had successfully reinstated the Obama-era coal leasing moratorium is moot.