Commissioners protest BLM coal leasing change
GILLETTE (WNE) — Campbell County Commissioners are protesting the Bureau of Land Management’s recent proposal to put an end to federal coal leases in the Powder River Basin.
The federal agency announced its changes to the Buffalo Field Office land use plan in mid-May, and if it goes through, it would effectively kill coal mining in Campbell County 17 years from now.
The plan targets the Powder River Basin and its 12 Wyoming coal mines, which are all located in Campbell County, and would allow mines to operate through 2041 under current leases.
“However, we believe that there are other ways to achieve this goal without sacrificing American jobs and energy security,” the petition reads. “The United States has some of the cleanest coal-fired power plants in the world, and we are constantly developing new technologies to make coal production even cleaner.”
The commissioners will send a protest letter to the BLM. They also scheduled a time to take public comment on the issue on Tuesday, June 4, in the commissioners’ chambers at the Campbell County Courthouse.
The commission also is asking Campbell County residents to sign a petition asking the BLM to reconsider its decision. The petition calls the decision “shortsighted” and says the impact to thousands of workers and families around the country will be “devastating.”
The petition is available at tinyurl.com/yeyn686d, and people can sign it through June 16.
This story was published on June 3, 2024.