By Aidan Mortensen | KOAL News | Photo courtesy of the Bureau of Land Management
As a part of the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ Act signed into law by President Donald Trump on July 4, the first environmental impact study for a major Utah coal project has been completed, marking the first expedited coal lease action under the legislation.
The environmental impact study for the proposed Little Eccles lease by application and the Flat Canyon lease modification – both submitted by Canyon Fuel Company, LLC, a subsidiary of Wolverine Fuels, LLC – have been completed. According to the project description,” Under the Proposed Action, the BLM would offer for competitive leasing the Little Eccles Federal Coal Lease Tract containing an estimated 858 thousand tons of recoverable coal. The BLM would authorize the Applicant’s requested noncompetitive lease modification to add 660 acres and an estimated 2.1 million tons of recoverable coal to the Flat Canyon Lease Tract.”
Producing coal since 1981, the Skyline mine is a significant economic driver in Sanpete, Carbon and Utah Counties. The coal produced at Skyline is known for its high BTU and low sulfur content. A release from the Bureau of Land Management states,” By moving forward with responsible coal leasing, the Department of the Interior is strengthening domestic supply chains, supporting American workers and ensuring that rural communities benefit directly from the energy resources on public lands.”
“This is a critical step in unleashing the full economic potential of our coal resources and delivering reliable, affordable energy to American families,” said Acting Assistant Secretary for Lands and Minerals Management Adam Suess. “President Trump made it clear that we will not tie up American energy in red tape. Under his leadership, we’re cutting delays, boosting production, and putting miners back to work.”
The Department of the Interior states that this approval aligns with Trump’s executive order “Reinvigorating America’s Beautiful Clean Coal Industry,” which was signed on April 8.
This isn’t the first expedited review to impact the Castle Country. In July, the BLM approved the expansion of an oil transloading facility in Carbon County after an expedited review under President Trump’s “national energy emergency” declaration.
In the release, the BLM states that it plans to open public comment on the fair market value and maximum economic recovery of the federal coal contained in the proposed lease area. The organization will also be hosting a public meeting about the final EIS.