The administration quietly released two proposed plans on Thursday that would prevent companies from applying for new coal mining rights on federally owned lands in the basin, which is located in Montana and Wyoming, a major U.S. coal hub.
Companies would still be allowed to extract coal under existing leases, and existing coal mining would be expected to continue through 2060.
The Powder River Basin represents 43 percent of the nation’s total coal production.
The administration projects that the move will prevent a significant quantity of planet-warming emissions — though critics warned about implications for energy and the economy.
“This will kill jobs and could cost Wyoming hundreds of millions of dollars used to pay for public schools, roads, and other essential services in our communities,” said Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) in a written statement.
Read more in a full report at TheHill.com.
