As Trump Presidency Looms, Department of Interior Calls to Modernize Coal Program on Federal Land

The Obama Administration's Department of the Interior released their report on coal mining on federal lands just days before the Trump team takes office.

1 minute read

January 18, 2017, 7:00 AM PST

By Casey Brazeal @northandclark


Coal Mining

DanaK~WaterPenny / Flickr

After years of studying a system that environmental groups and government watchdogs have called broken, "…the Department of the Interior finalized a report Wednesday calling for major changes to the federal coal program by which the U.S. manages the leasing of land to companies for exploration and production across 570 million publicly owned acres," report Juliet Eilperin and Chris Mooney in The New York Times.

While coal extraction goes on in the United States, "A year ago, new leases were placed on hold pending this report," according to Eilperin and Mooney. The hold put a hard cap on what coal mines could do while the Department of the Interior looked for reforms for the industry. "Those reforms would include charging a higher royalty rate to companies, factoring in the climate impact of the coal being burned through an additional charge to firms and setting an overall carbon budget for the nation’s coal leasing permits," Eilperin and Mooney write. Trump meanwhile has pledged to increase coal extraction. He's likely to have support from the Republican congressional majority. "Montana Senator, Steve Daines, in a press release…termed the new Interior report 'laughable,'" according to the article. Still, while the Trump Administration may resist these reforms, plans to revive the coal industry might also face strong market headwinds.

Wednesday, January 11, 2017 in The New York Times

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight