Trump administration weighs new coal sales from public lands in Montana and Wyoming

The Biden administration had calculated that an end to federal coal sales would reduce emissions by the equivalent of 293 million tons (266 million metric tonnes) of carbon dioxide annually. That’s comparable to emissions from about 63 million gasoline-power vehicles, according to a government analysis.

”Not only is new coal-leasing inconsistent with the imperative to arrest the advance of climate change, the coal plants that used to burn Powder River Basin coal are shuttering as more affordable, clean energy comes into the market,” said Jenny Harbine with the environmental law firm Earthjustice.

Scientists say greenhouse gas emissions from burning coal is a leading driver of human-caused climate change that’s making weather more extreme, wildfires more frequent and destructive and water supplies less reliable.

A federal judge blocked attempts made during Trump’s first term to alter the government’s management plan for the Powder River Basin, saying officials had not adequately analyzed potential health impacts from burning coal.

Fourteen active coal mines in the region accounted for about 40% of total U.S. coal production in 2022.

Some mines closed in recent years as utilities turned to less-polluting natural gas to generate electricity. Companies mined 512 million tons (464 million metric tonnes) of coal in the U.S. last year, the lowest volume since 1964.