The Department of the Interior has completed the environmental review for a significant coal project in Utah, marking the first expedited coal leasing action under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, analyzed the proposed Little Eccles lease by application and a modification to the Flat Canyon lease submitted by Canyon Fuel Company, LLC, which operates the Skyline Mine.
According to the Department, this move is intended to sustain jobs and support local economies in central Utah. The decision aligns with Executive Order 14261, "Reinvigorating America’s Beautiful Clean Coal Industry," and supports efforts by the Trump administration to increase domestic energy production and promote American energy independence.
“This is a critical step in unleashing the full economic potential of our coal resources and delivering reliable, affordable energy to American families,” said Acting Assistant Secretary for Lands and Minerals Management Adam Suess. “President Trump made it clear that we will not tie up American energy in red tape. Under his leadership, we’re cutting delays, boosting production, and putting miners back to work.”
The environmental review also addresses requirements from a 2023 legal settlement in WildEarth Guardians v. Haaland (U.S. District Court for the District of Utah case 2:16-cv-00168).
The BLM plans to open a public comment period on both fair market value and maximum economic recovery related to federal coal in the proposed lease area. Details about an upcoming public meeting will be published in the Federal Register as well as on the BLM National NEPA Register alongside the final environmental impact statement.
