Dear Guardian,

We’re getting robbed.

Right now, President Trump and his Secretary of the Interior, Ryan Zinke, want to take millions of dollars from Colorado and give it to Arch Coal.

Tell Colorado Governor Hickenlooper to oppose this blatant giveaway to the coal industry. Tell him we shouldn’t starve our State of funding to line the pockets of the coal industry.

In 2014, Arch asked the federal government to let the company pay 40% less in royalties back to Colorado and American taxpayers.

Royalties are what coal companies pay whenever they sell our publicly owned coal. They’re a big deal. Half of the royalties go to the federal government and half go back to the states where the coal was mined.

At Arch’s West Elk mine in Colorado, the royalty rate has been 8%. In 2014, Arch demanded a reduction to 5% because of claimed geologic difficulties in mining.

Governor Hickenlooper needs to stand up to this blatant giveaway. For our State’s clean energy future, we can’t keep cutting the coal industry checks at our expense.

Trump and Zinke want to cater to Arch’s demands. Here’s the kicker, though. Because Arch made its request in 2014, if approved, it would require a refund of millions of dollars to Arch Coal.

Since 2014, Arch has sold more than 9 million tons of coal from West Elk and profited handily, paying their executives $8 million in bonuses. With coal prices averaging around $35 a ton, that means the company made around $315 million during that time, paying around $25 million in royalties.

Under Trump and Zinke’s approval of Arch’s royalty reduction, the company could get a fat check for $10 million.

This is corrupt and Governor Hickenlooper has a chance to stop it. If he would just say “no,” Trump and Zinke would have no choice but to say “no” as well. So far, the Governor has been silent, but we can change that.

Speak out today and tell Governor Hickenlooper to defend our State’s clean energy future. Tell him to oppose Trump and Zinke’s plans to steal from Colorado to pay Arch Coal.

For the wild,

 

Jeremy Nichols
Climate & Energy Program Director
WildEarth Guardians
jnichols@wildearthguardians.org

P.S. Together with Earthjustice and High Country Conservation Advocates, we’ve been weighing in to try to derail Arch Coal’s heist. Your voice can help make the difference, weigh in today!

P.P.S. Arch Coal is one of the worst coal criminals. While they’re trying to steal our money, they’re also stealing our public lands. See for yourself how much of a disaster their West Elk mine is.