February 22, 2024 |
Photo – Coal mine – Courtesy Wikipedia
Wyoming’s long-suffering coal industry picked up a big legal win Thursday in a federal appeals court. The Ninth Circuit judges unanimously sided with Wyoming’s arguments in support of the continuation of the federal coal-leasing program.
The three-judge ruling vacated a lower court order that reinstated Obama-era coal-leasing restrictions and required federal officials to perform duplicative National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis.
Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon celebrated the win, saying “This ruling is an unequivocal win for our coal industry and a reminder that the Biden Administration has to follow the law” The governor continued, “The Department of Interior now has one less excuse to thwart its federal coal leasing responsibilities.”
The complicated case began in 2017 and involved conflicting orders issued by former Interior Secretaries from different administrations. Litigation costs were covered by a Natural Resource Policy Account established by the legislature in 2019 to battle federal policies in court.
Wyoming senior Senator John Barrasso issued a statement, saying that “Today’s court decision ending the Obama administration’s nationwide ban on coal leasing is good news for Wyoming and all Americans.”
Senator Barrasso said the ruling harmed coal producing communities in Wyoming and across the American West and also put at risk America’s most reliable and affordable form of energy—coal.
The next step is for the Biden Administration to move forward with coal leases—a political move that would put the White House at odds with its supporters.
