The Biden administration unveiled its final resource management plan for North Dakota on Aug. 9, which suggests restricting future coal leases on federal lands in the state.
The BLM also proposed closing oil and gas leases in any areas of North Dakota identified as having “low developmental potential” or state-designated drinking water source protection areas.
“Where oil and gas are available for leasing, no surface occupancy, controlled surface use, or timing limitation stipulations would apply to most areas,” it stated.
The BLM said it received 535 public comments during the 90-day comment period on the draft plan, which included a 30-day extension granted at the request of the North Dakota governor. The resource management plan will be subject to a 30-day public protest period before it is finalized.
Potential Impact
Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) said in a statement that the final resource management plan would restrict access to federal-owned coal and oil reserves in North Dakota, reduce the state’s revenue, and impede its energy development.“It stifles North Dakota’s energy development and our production, it closes off almost 50 percent of fluid leasable minerals and 90 percent of the coal leasable minerals in North Dakota,” he stated.
Cramer said the final resource management plan did not include the changes requested by the North Dakota delegation in May. The delegation—which included Cramer, Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.), and Rep. Kelly Armstrong (R-N.D.)—had urged the BLM to revise its initial draft plan.
“It is disappointing but not surprising to see the lengths that the Harris-Biden administration will go to in order to promote its Green New Steal agenda at the expense of our own economy and energy security,” he said.
They warned that “North Dakota and the nation will be denied access to vital energy reserves and corresponding economic activity” if the BLM proceeded with its proposed plans.
“Unlike large continuous tracts of federal lands more common in the Western United States, federal subsurface acres in North Dakota are scattered and intermingled with state and privately-owned minerals,” the letter stated.
“When federal agencies like the BLM impose restrictions, they inevitably dilute or cut off the development of resources not under their control.”
The BLM published two proposed plans that would block companies from applying for new coal mining rights on federally owned lands in the area that covers more than 13 million acres across the two states.
In its final environmental impact statement for the two proposals, the BLM elected a “no future coal leasing alternative,” having found that continued coal leasing in the Powder River Basin would result in significant consequences to the climate, public health, and the environment.
