The Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management has released the results of a comprehensive public review of the nation's federal coal program. The review outlines the need for modernization of the federal coal program in the following key areas: ensuring a fair return to Americans for the sale of their public coal resources, assessing the structure and efficiency of the coal program in light of current market conditions, and considering impacts on communities and the environment.
The report sets out the best policy ideas for addressing these important issues and identifies additional data and technical work needed to move forward. It also identifies a number of modernization initiatives that will be made in the near future to improve the program. These include increased transparency of the leasing program, increased protection for private surface owners and opportunities to prevent wasted natural gas from coal mines.
For more information, visit www.Doi.gov or call (202) 208-3801.
