NMA supports bicameral legislation protecting coal lease program

U.S. Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) and U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-MT) introduced bicameral legislation on Tuesday aiming to protect jobs in Montana’s coal industry and to ensure that the voices of states and tribes are heard in regards to policy changes pertaining to natural resources and royalties.

The National Mining Association (NMA) issued a statement praising Daines and Zinke’s efforts in strengthening the representation of the needs of states and tribes affected by these regulations.

“The legislation introduced by Senator Daines and Congressman Zinke today brings fairness, stakeholder input, and transparency to the Department of the Interior’s activities related to the Mineral Leasing Act,” Hal Quinn, NMA’s president and CEO, said.

Quinn emphasized that the present coal lease program is advantageous for states and tribes, and that plans to fix the program would jeopardize local jobs and revenues.

“Americans who are most directly impacted by federal land revenue decisions must be given every opportunity to help the department understand the economic consequences of such actions to their communities before it is too late,” Quinn said. “The introduction of these bills is particularly timely, as it coincides with the first of six of the department’s public scoping meetings starting today in Wyoming that are ostensibly designed to ‘fix’ the federal coal leasing program.”

Public meetings regarding the proposed legislation will take place throughout May and June, beginning in Casper, WY.