Union Pacific coal train with two locomotives (at the end) in Converse County close to Douglas, Wyoming USA

CHEYENNE (WNE) — U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., on Thursday led U.S. Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo. in introducing the Combating Obstruction Against Leasing Act.

This legislation, if passed into law, would codify President Donald Trump’s coal executive order, directing the Secretary of the Interior to expedite coal leasing processes and eliminate administrative delays related to qualified coal lease application. 

The COAL Act comes during National Coal Week, a resolution led by Senator Lummis to honor the nation’s coal industry.

“During National Coal Week, we are recognizing the tireless industry that powers our lives, and that starts with ensuring our coal producers can get projects moving quickly,” Lummis said in a news release. “The COAL Act would officially end the Biden and Obama administrations’ relentless war on coal and restore Wyoming coal as a cornerstone of America’s energy dominance.”

“Coal is one of the most reliable and affordable sources of baseload power in the country,” said Barrasso. “We need to ensure we have consistent and predictable access to our federal coal resources. Senator Lummis’ COAL Act will prevent future administrations from playing politics and blocking production of this vital energy resource.”

Specifically, the bill directs the Department of the Interior to do the following:

• Publish environmental assessments and implementing regulations for pending applications
• Finalize fair market valuations of coal tracts
• Complete all intermediate steps necessary to approve leases
• Issue final lease approvals without unnecessary delay If passed, the bill would also nullify Secretarial Order 3338, issued in 2016, which imposed a moratorium on new federal coal leases.