HR-1457 : Still Just a Bill

Combating Obstruction Against Leasing Act or the COAL Act

This bill requires the Department of the Interior to take specified actions with respect to qualified coal leasing applications.

Specifically, Interior must, with respect to

• each qualified application, promptly publish a draft environmental assessment and any applicable implementing regulations, finalize the fair market value of the coal tract for which a lease by application is pending, take all intermediate actions necessary to grant the application, and grant the application; and
• previously awarded coal leases, grant any additional approvals of Interior, or any bureau, agency, or division of Interior, required for mining activities to commence.

The bill provides that, notwithstanding any judicial decision to the contrary or a departmental review of the federal coal leasing program, Secretarial Order 3338 (which directs the Bureau of Land Management to analyze and consider potential leasing and management reforms to the program), issued by Interior on January 15, 2016, shall have no force or effect.