Biden administration proposes to restrict future coal mining in North Dakota

The Biden administration is proposing restrictions on which federal lands in North Dakota can be mined for coal in the future, though it says the effort is not expected to impact how much coal is produced for many years. 

It issued a plan this week that, if finalized, would reduce the amount of federal land that could be leased for new coal development by about 90.5 percent.

The administration said that this is not expected to impact coal production levels through the year 2040. However, it notes that the plan “would preclude the development of future mines.”

Coal produced in North Dakota accounts for about 5 percent of the nation’s supply of the fuel. The plan only applies to mining on land that is owned by the government. 

Wendy Warren, the Bureau of Land Management's Eastern Montana/Dakotas district manager, said in a written statement that the plan “represents a significant step forward in guiding public land use and balancing energy and mineral development.”

Still, the plan received pushback from North Dakota Sen. Kevin Cramer (R), who said in a statement that it “stifles North Dakota’s energy development and our production.”

“It is disappointing but not surprising to see the lengths that the Harris-Biden administration will go to in order to promote its Green New Steal agenda at the expense of our own economy and energy security,” he added. 

The move comes after the administration also proposed earlier this year to block new coal mines on public land in parts of Montana and Wyoming, including a coal hub known as the Powder River Basin.