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Biden admin to end mining leases in the nation’s largest coal-producing region

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The Biden administration announced it will stop offering new coal leases in the Powder River Basin. The region produces nearly half of America’s coal supply, which powers about a fifth of the nation. This decision marks the administration’s most decisive action yet toward phasing out the coal industry in the United States.

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The White House stated that existing coal mines in the region can continue their operations. However, the mines will not be permitted to expand. This measure leaves billions of tons of coal untapped across 13 million acres of land, spanning from Montana to Wyoming.

An environmental impact statement from the Bureau of Land Management concluded that continued coal mining would be detrimental to both the climate and public health. Coal is currently the dirtiest source of American energy. The material produced 55% of the carbon emissions from the nation’s electric power sector.

Despite these environmental concerns, industry groups and local officials criticized the decision. They argued move will result in job losses and threaten American energy security, especially as demand for power is expected to rise with the growth of data centers and other emerging technologies.

This decision closely followed new guidelines from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), released about a month ago, which target existing coal plants. The EPA’s rule mandates that all coal plants must either shut down or implement technology to capture 90% of their emissions by 2039.

These additional regulations from the Biden administration aim to further reduce pollution output from the power sector. However, the rules raised concerns among some lawmakers about potential impacts on the nation’s energy capacity and reliability.

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JACK ALYMER:

NEARLY HALF OF AMERICA’S COAL COMES FROM RIGHT HERE IN THE POWDER RIVER BASIN-
HELPING POWER ABOUT A FIFTH OF THE NATION.

BUT NOW – THE U-S GOVERNMENT IS GETTING SERIOUS ABOUT ENDING MINING IN THE REGION.

TAKING ITS BIGGEST STEP YET TOWARDS RETIRING THE INDUSTRY.

THE WHITE HOUSE SAID IT WILL NO LONGER OFFER NEW COAL LEASES.
LEAVING BILLIONS OF TONS OF THIS RESOURCE UNTAPPED.

THE 14 ACTIVE COAL MINES IN THE REGION WILL BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE OPERATIONS FOR NOW, THOUGH THEY CANNOT EXPAND FURTHER.

AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FROM THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT FOUND CONTINUED MINING WOULD HARM THE CLIMATE AND PUBLIC HEALTH.

NO OTHER SOURCE OF AMERICAN ENERGY IS DIRTIER THAN COAL-

WHICH IS PART OF WHY THE GOVERNMENT MOVED TO RESTRICT FURTHER MINING ACROSS ROUGHLY 13 MILLION ACRES OF LAND.

INDUSTRY GROUPS HAVE PUSHED BACK AGAINST THE DECISION, SAYING IT WILL COST PEOPLE JOBS AND THREATEN AMERICAN ENERGY SECURITY.

WE’VE COVERED THE ANTICIPATED SPIKE IN U-S POWER DEMANDS HERE AT STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS.

AND THESE INDUSTRY GROUPS SAY COAL IS STILL NEEDED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF DATA CENTERS AND OTHER POWER HUNGRY NEW TECHNOLOGIES.

THIS COMES ABOUT A MONTH AFTER THE EPA RELEASED THEIR OWN SET OF NEW GUIDELINES TARGETING COAL.

THE AGENCY’S RECENT RULE WILL REQUIRE ALL EXISTING COAL PLANTS TO EITHER SHUT DOWN OR CAPTURE 90 PERCENT OF THEIR EMISSIONS BY 20-39.

FURTHER REDUCING AMERICA’S POWER CAPACITY IN THIS SECTOR – AT A TIME WHEN SOME LAWMAKERS WARN THESE PLANTS MIGHT STILL BE A NECESSITY.

TO STAY UP TO DATE ON THE FUTURE OF COAL AND THE POWER DEMANDS OF THE U-S. DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS MOBILE APP.