Lummis calls the moratorium on coal lease sales “lunacy,” applauds industry appeal
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), applauded the decision by the National Mining Association to appeal a district court decision to reinstate the Biden administration’s disastrous decision to place a moratorium on coal lease sales on federal lands.
“I am glad that this decision will be appealed. Despite what some climate catastrophists might say, coal is still necessary for our nation’s energy mix. American coal from federal lands, especially Wyoming coal, is among the cleanest burning and has provided reliable, affordable, base-load energy for decades. While the rest of the world continues to develop fossil fuels, it is lunacy to limit our own nation’s ability to fuel our homes and industry. I am proud of Wyoming’s historical contribution to powering our nation and I will never stop fighting to further this legacy.”
Wyoming is the top coal-producing state in the nation, representing more than 40% of the annual U.S. coal supply. Wyoming coal is considered “super compliant” by environmental requirements, meaning the burning of Wyoming coal emits minimal amounts of sulfur into the atmosphere. Coal is essential for electricity generation and 90% of coal mined in the United States is used to generate electricity. In 2021, 21% of electricity in the U.S. was generated by coal.
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