The Biden administration has put forward a proposal to drastically limit future coal mining on federal lands in North Dakota, although it projects that the new rules won’t affect coal output for many years. The plan, announced this week, seeks to slash the availability of federal lands for new coal leases by roughly 90.5 percent if it is implemented.
The administration maintains that this restriction will not alter coal production levels until 2040. However, it aims to preclude the establishment of new coal mines moving forward.
Biden administration proposes a 90.5% reduction in federal lands for new coal leases in North Dakota
North Dakota’s coal operations currently supply about 5 percent of the nation’s coal. This proposal is focused exclusively on federal lands. Wendy Warren, the Bureau of Land Management’s district manager for Eastern Montana and the Dakotas, stated that the initiative marks a remarkable step in managing public land use, balancing energy needs, and mineral development.
North Dakota Senator Kevin Cramer (R) has voiced strong opposition to the proposal, asserting that it hinders the state’s energy sector and production capabilities. He criticized the Biden administration for what he views as an attempt to advance its Green New Deal agenda at the expense of North Dakota’s economic and energy interests.
This proposal comes in the wake of an earlier administration move this year to block new coal mining on public lands in parts of Montana and Wyoming, including the Powder River Basin, a coal-producing region.
