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.
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.
