Peabody Coal Plans Threaten Climate, Clean Air, Colorado Public Lands

WildEarth Guardians Stands up to Trump, Calls for Rejection of Mine Expansion

DenverWildEarth Guardians is standing up to President Trump’s attempts to allow Peabody Energy to expand the company’s Foidel Creek coal mine in northwestern Colorado, calling out the Administration for undermining the American public interest on behalf of the coal industry. 

“This is nothing short of a giveaway to coal companies at our expense, it’s a bad idea through and through,” said Jeremy Nichols, Climate and Energy Program Director for WildEarth Guardians.  “More coal mining only means more climate destruction, more air pollution, and more missed opportunities for clean energy and economic sustainability.” 

In a letter to the agency, Guardians called on the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to deny Peabody’s request to acquire 640 acres of publicly owned coal at its Foidel Creek mine near Steamboat Springs, Colorado.  

The underground coal mine fuels the nearby Hayden coal-fired power plant and also ships coal to other power plants across the country.  The mine is linked to more than 21 million tons of carbon pollution, equal to the amount of climate pollution released every year by more than 4 million cars. 

Peabody, which only just recently emerged from bankruptcy because of failing coal markets, relies heavily on subsidies from the federal government to keep the Foidel Creek mine operating.  In 2009 and 2007, the company acquired millions of tons of coal for 25¢ a ton from the Bureau of Land Management, essentially the cost of a gumball, yet has been selling coal for $40.00 a ton.  

Last month, Peabody demanded the Bureau of Land Management give the company a break on its royalty payments 

The latest plans come as President Trump and his Secretary of the Interior, Ryan Zinke, have called for rollbacks of environmental and economic safeguards in order to prop up coal companies.  

Peabody was previously barred from acquiring new publicly owned coal reserves under an Order adopted by the Obama Administration.  This Order imposed a moratorium on new coal sales pending comprehensive reforms of federal coal management.  In March, Zinke lifted this order and abandoned federal coal reform efforts. 

“Peabody can’t survive without handouts from the American public and this is shameful,” said Nichols.  “Trump and Zinke may be pulling out all the stops for the coal industry, but as America continues to develop clean and more affordable energy, the reality is, there is no future for Peabody and other companies.” 

In its letter, WildEarth Guardians also chastised the Bureau of Land Management for shortcutting its environmental review of Peabody’s mine expansion.  While the Foidel Creek mine is the largest coal mine in the State of Colorado, the agency has never prepared a comprehensive environmental review of its operations. 

The Bureau of Land Management’s review of Peabody’s coal plans likely won’t be completed until 2018. 


 

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