The Falkirk Mining Company of Underwood has won the lease awarded by the Bureau of Land Management to mine the 11.3 million tons of available federal coal across roughly 800 acres at Falkirk Mine in McLean County for $79,996 . The BLM has been on a tear, auctioning off leases in the past few months, which aligns with the Trump administration’s efforts to increase energy production and strengthen America’s energy independence by removing regulatory barriers and encouraging energy exploration and production on federal lands. Which has the inevitable effect of creating more jobs in the McLean County region.
The Falkirk Mine coal lease has been auctioned off by the Bureau of Land Management
It would be difficult to say the lease for us to emphasize the importance of the Falkirk Mine to the area of McLean County. For a very long time indeed, the mine has provided secure employment to thousands of average Americans trying to provide for their families. So when the mine’s coal lease was to be auctioned off, speculations were rife, and some worried about their jobs.
Those worries, however, were unjustified as the Falkirk Mining Company of Underwood was the highest bidder and won the lease to produce coal at Falkirk Mine with a bid of $79,996. The Bureau of Land Management, or BLM for short, has been doing everything in its considerable power to align the energy sector with the Trump executive orders.
“This coal sale reflects the BLM’s ongoing commitment to advancing the Administration’s energy strategy. By expanding access to federal resources, we’re helping power the nation, strengthen local economies, and ensure energy security for American communities.” – BLM Montana/Dakotas State Director Sonya Germann
The United States is moving ever closer to energy independence thanks to several executive orders
Trump claimed that he would fix the economy on day one and drive prices down while creating jobs for the average American. Sounds a little too good to be true, right? Well, evidently not. For the past few months, the TRump administration has been trying to get the “One Big Beautiful Bill” passed, which aims, among many other things, to increase America’s energy production capabilities and deliver more well-paying jobs for the local residents.
Falkirk Mine has about 11.3 million tons of available federal coal that is just waiting to be mined across roughly 800 acres in the McLean County area. The Falkirk Mining Company of Underwood was the highest bidder and won the auction with a bid of $79,996. To supplement the low purchasing cost of the mine, royalties will be shared evenly between the State and the US Treasury, which amounts to about $3 per acre and a 7% royalty payment on coal produced.
This lease sale aligns with the administration priorities under Executive Order 14154, “Unleashing American Energy,” which directs agencies to remove regulatory barriers and encourage energy exploration and production on federal lands. It also advances key provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, including regular coal lease sales, reduced royalties, and streamlined leasing reviews designed to revitalize American energy production and reinvigorate domestic coal leasing. – The Bureau of Land Management
The upstream sector in the United States may see more leases being sold in the not-too-distant future
The lease sale aligns perfectly with the Trump administration’s plans to increase energy production across the board in the United States. As certain parts of the world, and the United States, to be fair, are moving closer to the renewable energies sector, the inevitable question arises of whether the traditional energy production sector can continue to deliver the high-paying jobs that the local residents rely on, and have done for many generations. The DOI has taken significant steps to ensure more leases will be sold in the future.
