Bill > HR280

This bill aims to expedite coal lease applications and remove barriers to coal leasing by requiring the Secretary of the Interior to take specific actions for "qualified coal applications" - defined as pending lease applications under the Mineral Leasing Act where environmental review has already begun. The bill mandates that the Secretary must promptly publish draft environmental assessments for these applications, finalize the fair market value of coal tracts, take necessary intermediate actions, and ultimately grant the qualified applications. Additionally, for previously awarded coal leases, the Secretary must grant any additional approvals needed to commence mining activities. The bill also explicitly nullifies Secretarial Order 3338 from 2016 (which had imposed a moratorium on new federal coal leasing), ensuring that any previous judicial decisions or departmental reviews cannot obstruct the leasing process. The legislation defines key terms like "coal lease" (a lease between the US and an applicant using a specific Bureau of Land Management form) and aims to streamline and accelerate the federal coal leasing process by removing potential administrative and procedural obstacles.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/280/all-info