The guidelines governing coal mining on public lands haven’t been reviewed in over a generation, and coal executives are taking advantage of our outdated federal rules.

Coal companies are gaming the system to mine taxpayer-owned coal at cut-rate prices, leaving the rest of us to make up for lost royalties. Coal executives are taking multi-million dollar compensation packages and hardworking Americans are shouldering their tax burden—just as coal companies enter bankruptcy and coal miners are laid off.

Meanwhile, western communities face the fallout: destroyed landscapes, air and water pollution, climate pollution, and over $28 billion in lost revenues that should have paid for schools and roads.

Western economies and energy development have entered the 21^st century. But after 30 years without a review, our federal coal program can’t keep up.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has a unique opportunity to act right now. It is time to modernize this outdated program.

• As coal company profits fell, mining firms rewarded executives handsomely

  Casper Star-Tribune

• Former Montana revenue department director says coal leasing program needs changes

  Missoulian

• Asia coal export boom brings no bonus for U.S. taxpayers

  Reuters

• Losing Ground: Energy Development's Impact on Wildlife

  National Wildlife Federation

• American taxpayers deserve fair return from federal coal

  WyoFile

• Opinion: Montana model would end secrecy in U.S. coal leases

  Billings Gazette

• Pause on coal leasing is an opportunity

  Casper Star-Tribune

• Environmental groups should come to the aid of coal country

  The Daily Sentinel

You have the power to reform the system. Learn more about what our broken federal coal program means for western communities, and what we can do to fix it.