Department of Interior
-
Why would Kiewit want the risk of an expanded coal mine?
That’s the question at the heart of a letter sent today to the CEO of Kiewit and the President of its mining subsidiary as this major construction company considers whether to bid on the Hay Creek II coal lease next week. The Bureau of Land Management has scheduled the lease of 167 million tons of […]
-
BLM schedules two major coal leases, undermining President Obama’s climate action plan
Next week, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) plans to sell 148 million tons of publicly owned coal, making clear that BLM continues to ignore concerns about the carbon pollution from coal mining, burning and export proposals. In addition to this lease sale, known as “Maysdorf II,” BLM has also scheduled the sale of the […]
-
Youth Climate Activists Deliver a Memo to Interior Secretary Jewell: #ActOnClimate, Keep Our Coal in the Ground
Department of Interior staff were greeted during their lunch break today by youth climate activists distributing memos from a made-up government agency, the “Department of Climate Action,” to highlight that the federal coal leasing program is undermining President Obama’s Climate Action Plan. Earlier today, several national, regional and local organizations sent a letter to Interior Secretary Sally Jewell underscoring […]
-
Need for coal leasing moratorium reinforced by Department of Interior Inspector General report
A new report from the Department of Interior’s Inspector General highlights several problems with the way DOI gives taxpayer-owned coal to companies like Peabody, Arch, and Cloud Peak Energy, including flaws in the way DOI calculates fair market value (FMV) and a failure to consider increasing coal exports. The report reinforces the need for a […]
-
Coal companies’ scheme to dodge royalty payments draws federal investigation
One of the many subsidies that coal mining companies like Arch and Peabody enjoy is coming under increased scrutiny from federal regulators. The Department of Interior (DOI) announced that an investigation has been launched to determine if coal companies are using sister companies to reduce the royalties they owe when exporting taxpayer-owned coal to foreign markets. The […]
-
Feds say deepwater wells can no longer dodge environmental reviews
For decades, oil and gas companies pretty much called the shots in the Gulf of Mexico. Yesterday, the Interior Department made it clear its rubber stamp days are over.
-
Bloomberg News Refuses to Correct Blatantly False Drilling Ban Story
Unfortunately, as far as I can tell, the answer is no. On Thursday I documented a blatantly false Bloomberg news story designed to mislead readers about the level of support for President Obama’s temporary moratorium on deepwater drilling. Bloomberg’s poll (PDF), which the story was based on, asked the following (bottom of page five): “Do […]
-
MMS goes under the spotlight
Last week, execs from BP, Transocean, and Halliburton took their Capitol Hill beatdown. This week, federal regulators will be led into the ring. With Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar at the front of the line, they’ll appear before three Senate committees tomorrow and then a House committee on Wednesday, at which members of Congress […]
-
Is Bill Barrett Corp's Major Lobbying Spree Aimed at Ken Salazar?
In the fall of 2008, the outgoing Bush administration gave the oil and gas industry a parting gift that now threatens to destroy the Roan Plateau in Colorado, an area known for its stunning vistas, “beloved by hunters, anglers and hikers for its clear streams, herds of deer and elk, and rugged beauty.” The Roan, […]