WildEarth Guardians

Friday, January 15, 2016
Obama Administration Stops Coal Sales to Protect Climate

Interior Department Commits to Reforms that Reduce Carbon Pollution, End Industry Breaks
Contact: Jeremy Nichols (303) 437-7663

Washington, D.C.—In a groundbreaking step forward for the climate, the Obama Administration today announced it intends to put the brakes on federal coal sales and institute a suite of reforms to keep fossil fuels in the ground.

“This is a major victory for the climate and for America,” said Jeremy Nichols, WildEarth Guardians’ Climate and Energy Program Director.  “It’s time to keep our publicly owned coal in the ground and stop letting coal companies profit off the destruction of our planet.”

The move today has the potential to keep nearly three billion tons of coal in the ground and to prevent the release of more than five billion metric tons of carbon pollution, as much as is released every year by one billion cars.  It also promises to ensure the coal industry pays its fair share as America transitions away from fossil fuels.

Most importantly, the announcement opens the door for reforms that will wind down the federal government’s role in approving more coal mining in the U.S. and calls into question the future viability of companies dependent on publicly owned coal.

The reforms come on the heels of President Obama’s State of the Union Address earlier this week, where he announced it’s time to “change the way we manage...our coal” to address the costs of climate change to our planet.  And last fall, the President remarked that, “if we’re going to prevent large parts of this Earth from becoming not only inhospitable but uninhabitable in our lifetimes, we’re going to have to keep some fossil fuels in the ground rather than burn them and release more dangerous pollution into the sky.”

More than 40% of all coal produced in the U.S. comes from publicly owned deposits that are managed by the U.S. Department of the Interior.  This coal, which is extracted mainly from the American West, is mined for one reason:  to be burned. When burned, this coal produces more than 11% of all U.S. greenhouse gases.

During the Obama Administration, the Interior Department has leased billions of tons of publicly owned coal to private companies, giving them the right to mine and sell it for profit.  For several years now, WildEarth Guardians has called on Interior to stop selling publicly owned coal and to move to end the federal coal program. 

“This is a tremendous opportunity to help our nation fully move toward clean energy,” said Nichols.  “Importantly, it’s an opportunity to come up with a plan to help coal-dependent communities and miners transition to more sustainable and prosperous economies.”

Currently, the Interior Department is weighing 61 applications for new coal leases nationwide, 42 of which are located in the American West.  In the Powder River Basin of northeastern Wyoming and southeastern Montana, which is the nation’s largest coal producing region, more than two billion tons of coal leases are pending.  These leases would expand the largest coal mines in the U.S., which are owned by the largest coal companies.

A series of interactive maps prepared by WildEarth Guardians illustrates where these leases are located and provides key details.

In spite of climate concerns, leasing of publicly owned coal has continued unrestrained.  In June of 2015, the Interior Department leased 42 million tons of coal in Utah, opening the door for more than 78 million metric tons of carbon pollution.  And this month, Interior officials are slated to vote on whether to process to two new coal leases in the Powder River Basin totaling more than 640 million tons of coal.

Last December, a coalition of groups reiterated calls for a pause in new coal leasing.

For many years, WildEarth Guardians has been actively confronting publicly owned coal leasing and mining throughout the American West.  In September, Guardians filed suit to overturn four coal mine expansions.  Today’s announcement marks a major milestone victory for the organization and its years of dedicated advocacy.