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To require the Secretary of the Interior to take certain actions with respect to certain qualified coal applications, and for other purposes.
Summary
This bill requires the Department of Interior to grant all pending coal lease applications that have begun environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act, as well as finalize fair market values and complete all necessary approvals for those applications. The bill also requires Interior to grant any additional approvals needed for previously awarded coal leases to allow mining to commence. The bill eliminates the effect of a 2016 Interior Department order that had restricted coal leasing on federal lands.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
4 cosponsors
Actions (4)
- Sep 3, 2025 Subcommittee Hearings Held · house
- Jul 2, 2025 Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources. · house
- Jan 9, 2025 Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources. · house
- Jan 9, 2025 Introduced in House
More bills on these subjects (8)
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Similar bills (6)
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Text versions (1)
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Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 9, 2025
Ms. Hageman (for herself, Mr. Meuser, and Mrs. Miller of West Virginia) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources
A BILL
To require the Secretary of the Interior to take certain actions with respect to certain qualified coal applications, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Combating Obstruction Against Leasing Act of 2025” or the “COAL Act of 2025”.
SEC. 2. LEASING FOR CERTAIN QUALIFIED COAL APPLICATIONS.
(a) Definitions.—In this section:
(1) Coal lease.—The term “coal lease” means a lease entered into by the United States as lessor, through the Bureau of Land Management, and the applicant on Bureau of Land Management Form 3400-012.
(2) Qualified application.—The term “qualified application” means any application pending under the lease by application program administered by the Bureau of Land Management pursuant to the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 181 et seq.) and subpart 3425 of title 43, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of the enactment of this Act), for which the environmental review process under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) has commenced.
(b) Mandatory Leasing and Other Required Approvals.—As soon as practicable after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall promptly—
(1) with respect to each qualified application—
(A) if not previously published for public comment, publish a draft environmental assessment, as required under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and any applicable implementing regulations;
(B) finalize the fair market value of the coal tract for which a lease by application is pending;
(C) take all intermediate actions necessary to grant the qualified application; and
(D) grant the qualified application; and
(2) with respect to previously awarded coal leases, grant any additional approvals of the Department of the Interior or any bureau, agency, or division of the Department of the Interior required for mining activities to commence.
SEC. 3. FUTURE COAL LEASING.
Notwithstanding any judicial decision to the contrary or a departmental review of the Federal coal leasing program, Secretarial Order 3338, issued by the Secretary of the Interior on January 15, 2016, shall have no force or effect. <all>
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