BLM Outlaws Coal In Powder River Basin; Gordon Says Prepare For A Fight

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Posted on 11/28/2024 6:09:23 AM PST by CFW

The Bureau of Land Management has made it official Tuesday — coal leasing will end in the Powder River Basin by 2041.

The move follows a court order in a federal lawsuit, Western Organization of Resource Councils et al. v. BLM. The judge on the case directed the BLM to redo its environmental analysis, and include both no-leasing and a limited coal leasing alternatives.

As a result of that analysis, the BLM said it has determined that “additional leasing of BLM-administered coal is not necessary, based on the current analysis in the Final Supplemental EIS. The analysis indicates that operating mines in the planning area collectively have existing leases with sufficient coal reserves to maintain project mine production levels into 2041.”

Copies of the complete record of decision are available for inspection at the BLM’s Buffalo Field Office and online.

The decision will block off 48.12 billion short tons of coal on 413,250 acres in the Powder River Basin, and has attracted widespread criticism in Wyoming, including Gov. Mark Gordon, who publicly pledged to fight the decision in court.

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On Tuesday, Gordon reiterated his intent to fight the decision, which puts a date to coal’s demise in the state.

Wyoming has already spent $800,000 on a retainer for the high-powered Arlington, Virginia-based law firm of Consovoy McCarthy, which has argued multiple appeals before the U.S. Supreme Court.

“Despite Congress’ direction that federal lands under BLM control be managed for multiple uses, the Biden administration’s crusade against responsible coal extraction continues,” Gordon said in a press release. “Coal is a reliable, abundant energy resource. Its continued development is necessary to meet the nation’s ever-increasing energy needs.

“BLM’s decision intentionally ignores both the energy needs of our nation and the devastating economic impacts its decision has on Wyoming and its communities.”

(Excerpt) Read more at cowboystatedaily.com ...

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Trump, DOGE, and Dept. of Interior's Doug Burgum, will have their work cut out for them. I hope they are making lists.

1 posted on 11/28/2024 6:09:23 AM PST by CFW

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