Central Wyoming News

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, has issued a statement in response to the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) final supplemental environmental impact statement and proposed amendment to its Buffalo Field Office land use plan. The proposed plan aims to cease future coal leases in the Powder River Basin, a region central to Wyoming’s coal production. Notably, Wyoming is the top producer of coal in the United States.

Senator Barrasso criticized President Biden's administration for its stance on coal mining in Wyoming. He stated, “President Biden continues to wage war on Wyoming’s coal communities and families. This short-sighted plan will kill future coal leases in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin – the most energy rich area in the country. This will kill jobs and could cost Wyoming hundreds of millions of dollars used to pay for public schools, roads, and other essential services in our communities. Cutting off access to our strongest resources surrenders America's greatest economic advantages – to continue producing affordable, abundant, and reliable American energy.”