The Biden Administration Must Reinstate the Coal Leasing Moratorium

The Northern Cheyenne Tribe is challenging the Biden administration's decision to maintain Trump-era coal leasing policies on public lands. The Tribe asserts that coal mining causes air and water pollution, destroys sensitive species habitats, and damages sacred cultural sites. While the administration promotes a transition to clean energy, the Tribe notes that coal consumption in the U.S. rose 14% in 2021. The author calls for a shift toward renewable energy projects—such as wind, solar, and storage—and remediation efforts that provide employment for Tribal members and mine workers.

• The Northern Cheyenne Tribe is participating in a lawsuit against the Biden administration for its refusal to reverse the Trump-era policy of continuing coal leasing on public lands, including areas surrounding the Northern Cheyenne Reservation.
• Coal mining activities near the Reservation result in air pollution, impaired water quality through runoff, and the destruction of habitats for species such as sage grouse, prairie chicken, prairie dogs, and burrowing owls, as well as the loss of Cheyenne ceremonial sites.
• Despite promises of economic prosperity from nearby mines such as Spring Creek, Decker, and Rosebud, employment and contracting opportunities for the Northern Cheyenne people did not fully materialize.
• The author highlights a contradiction in the administration's clean energy goals, noting that U.S. coal consumption increased by 14% in 2021.
• The Tribe advocates for a transition to renewable energy, specifically wind, solar, and storage projects, and remediation work, provided that current mine workers are prioritized for these new positions.

APA

Earthjustice (2022). The Biden Administration Must Reinstate the Coal Leasing Moratorium. https://earthjustice.org/article/the-biden-administration-must-reinstate-the-coal-leasing-moratorium

Chicago

Earthjustice. The Biden Administration Must Reinstate the Coal Leasing Moratorium. 2022. https://earthjustice.org/article/the-biden-administration-must-reinstate-the-coal-leasing-moratorium.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Earthjustice |title=The Biden Administration Must Reinstate the Coal Leasing Moratorium |date=12 July 2022 |url=https://earthjustice.org/article/the-biden-administration-must-reinstate-the-coal-leasing-moratorium |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{earthjustice2022biden, author = {{Earthjustice}}, title = {{The Biden Administration Must Reinstate the Coal Leasing Moratorium}}, publisher = {Earthjustice}, year = {2022}, month = jul, url = {https://earthjustice.org/article/the-biden-administration-must-reinstate-the-coal-leasing-moratorium}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }