COAL Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- S. 3045
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Environmental Protection
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-10-23: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- Last Updated
- 2026-03-24T12:48:03Z
AI-Generated Summary
Summary of S. 3045: Combating Obstruction Against Leasing Act of 2025 (COAL Act of 2025)
Purpose
This bill aims to expedite the approval of pending coal lease applications on federal lands and remove barriers to future coal leasing by the Department of the Interior (DOI). It seeks to promote coal mining by mandating quick processing of certain applications and eliminating a prior administrative moratorium on new leases.
Key Provisions
- Definitions:
- Coal lease: A formal agreement between the U.S. government (via the Bureau of Land Management, or BLM) and a private applicant to extract coal from federal lands, using a specific BLM form.
- Qualified application: Any pending coal lease application as of the bill's enactment date, submitted under the Mineral Leasing Act (a 1920 law governing mineral extraction on public lands) and related regulations, where the environmental review process under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA, a 1969 law requiring assessment of environmental impacts) has already begun.
- Mandatory Actions for Pending Applications (Section 2):
- The Secretary of the Interior must act "as soon as practicable" after enactment to:
- Publish a draft environmental assessment (a NEPA-required document evaluating potential environmental effects) for public comment if not already done, along with any related rules.
- Finalize the fair market value (the estimated worth) of the coal deposit in question.
- Complete all necessary steps and grant the lease application.
- For already-approved coal leases, the Secretary must provide any additional DOI approvals needed to begin mining operations.
- Future Coal Leasing (Section 3):
- Nullifies Secretarial Order 3338 (a 2016 executive directive that imposed a moratorium, or temporary halt, on new federal coal leasing to review environmental and economic impacts). This order is declared to have "no force or effect," allowing new lease applications to proceed without this restriction.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Overrides the 2016 coal leasing moratorium, which had paused new leases pending a comprehensive program review; this reinstates unrestricted leasing authority under the Mineral Leasing Act.
- Mandates automatic approval and accelerated timelines for qualified pending applications, bypassing typical discretionary delays in the BLM's lease-by-application process (governed by federal regulations in 43 CFR Part 3420).
- Shifts from voluntary to required approvals for mining on existing leases, reducing administrative hurdles that previously allowed for extended reviews or denials.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: The DOI and BLM face immediate obligations to process applications quickly, potentially straining resources and requiring reallocation of staff for environmental reviews and valuations. This could lead to faster permitting but increase workload and legal challenges related to NEPA compliance.
- Citizens: Residents near federal lands may see increased coal mining activity, potentially boosting local jobs and energy production in coal-dependent regions but raising concerns about air and water pollution, climate change contributions from coal emissions, and land disruption. Broader U.S. energy supply could become more reliant on domestic coal.
- International Relations: Minimal direct effects, though expanded U.S. coal production might influence global energy markets and trade in fossil fuels, potentially conflicting with international climate agreements like the Paris Accord by increasing greenhouse gas emissions.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Coal Industry and Applicants: Primary beneficiaries, including mining companies with pending applications (e.g., those in Wyoming or other coal-rich states), who gain faster access to federal coal reserves.
- Department of the Interior and BLM: Directly obligated to implement changes, affecting their operational priorities and budget.
- Environmental and Conservation Groups: Likely opponents, as the bill reduces environmental safeguards and could lead to more coal extraction on public lands.
- Local Communities and Workers: Mining towns and unions may benefit from economic growth and job creation, while affected ecosystems and nearby populations face potential health and environmental risks.
- Taxpayers and Energy Consumers: Indirectly impacted through federal revenue from coal royalties (which fund public programs) and possibly lower energy costs from increased supply.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Challenges the validity of prior administrative actions (like the 2016 order) through congressional override, potentially setting precedent for future legislative interventions in executive environmental policies. Ensures NEPA processes continue for qualified applications but compresses timelines, which could invite lawsuits over inadequate environmental reviews.
- Constitutional: Reinforces Congress's authority under Article IV (managing federal lands) and the Property Clause to direct executive agencies, countering executive discretion without raising separation-of-powers issues, as it operates within existing mineral leasing statutes.
- Political: Reflects a pro-fossil fuel agenda, introduced by senators from coal-producing states (Wyoming), signaling partisan divides on energy and climate policy. Could polarize debates on balancing economic development with environmental protection, influencing future energy legislation.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Sen. Lummis, Cynthia M. [R-WY]
Cosponsors (1)
Recent Actions
- 2025-10-23: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- 2025-10-23: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Combating Obstruction Against Leasing Act of 2025 — issued 2025-10-23 — PDF (3 pages)