Interior schedules coal lease auctions in AL, UT, and MT

The United States Department of the Interior has announced its plans to schedule several coal lease auctions in the months to come. The planned lease auctions come off the back of the Trump Administration’s executive orders aimed at increasing energy production across several sectors across the United States. The Bureau of Land Management announced the coal lease auctions recently, amid several new leases being sold in the past few months. The auction will enable companies to bid for three sites in three different states in America.

The sale of these three coal leases is backed by the federal government

When Donald Trump ran for the U.S. presidency for the second time, one of his many campaign promises was to strengthen the United States’ energy sector by allowing companies the ability to circumvent certain regulations and limitations imposed by the previous administration. However, before any sale, certain milestones need to be met, which include federal review and public involvement, including environmental analysis and opportunities for public comment.

The federal government is backing the planned auction of the sites in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, Emery County, Utah, and Big Horn County, Montana. The Interior Secretary Doug Burgum made a statement following the news of the three planned auctions.

“Coal has long been the backbone of America’s energy and industrial strength. By moving forward with these lease sales, we are creating good-paying jobs, supporting local communities, and securing the resources that keep America strong. President Trump’s leadership is putting American workers first and ensuring our nation’s energy future is built on reliable, homegrown resources.” – Interior Secretary Doug Burgum

What are the exact details for each auction planned by the BLM

The federal government is looking to reap the benefits of the Trump administration’s priorities under Executive Order 14241, “Immediate Measures to Increase American Mineral Production,” and Executive Order 14261, “Reinvigorating America’s Beautiful Clean Coal Industry.”

1. Tuscaloosa County, Alabama – The site in Alabama contains an estimated 53 million tons of recoverable metallurgical coal, used in steelmaking and designated as a critical material under the Energy Act of 2020. The sealed-bid sale will be held at 10 a.m. ET, Sept. 30, 2025, at the BLM Eastern States State Office in Falls Church, Va.
2. Emery County, Utah – The Utah auction has a tract called the Little Eccles Tract, which contains roughly 1.29 million tons of recoverable coal and is a direct response to an application submitted by Canyon Fuel Company, LLC, operator of the Skyline Mine since 1981.  Sealed bids must be submitted to the BLM Utah State Office in Salt Lake City by 11 a.m. MDT on Oct. 1, 2025. The sale will happen on the same day.
3. Big Horn County, Montana – In Montana, the Bureau of Land Management has announced that the 1,262 acres containing an estimated 167.5 million tons of recoverable coal will be sold following an application by the Navajo Transitional Energy Company, LLC, operator of the Spring Creek Mine. The sale will be held at 10 a.m. MDT, Oct. 6, 2025, at the BLM Montana State Office in Billings, with sealed bids due by 4:30 p.m., Oct. 3, 2025.

Trump has praised the appointment of Doug Burgum and claims that his administration’s new approach to the energy sector will produce reliable energy for generations to come, providing locals with jobs and financial security.

The United States energy sector is going through a revolution since Trump’s victory

Trump claimed to “bring grocery prices down on day one”. And to his credit, his administration has been very busy implementing policies and executive orders that aim to reduce the sky-high cost of living in the United States. With the economy in the dumps, prices for everything from cars to eggs are on the rise, and the average American’s patience is wearing thin. The DOI’s new approach to leasing sites all over the United States is a welcome change to the regulations and limitations put in place by the previous administration.