Biden Tosses a Middle Finger Salute to the Coal Industry on His Way Out the

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Joe Biden doesn’t like coal. I mean, he really, really doesn’t like it. What’s more, coal is mainly located in red states and employs a lot of conservative voters.

Biden decided to deliver a parting shot to coal-producing states and those whose livelihoods depend on mining. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) recently approved an amendment to the Resource Management Plan (RMP) that would ban new coal leases in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin and make “48.12 billion short tons of coal unavailable for leasing consideration in order to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as a proxy for climate change,” said BLM Buffalo, Wyo., field manager Todd Yeager.

The ban will block any new federal mining leases in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin by 2041. The Powder River Basin is the nation’s largest coal-producing area.

The Trump transition will almost certainly look to reverse the decision. But that means court battles for years.

“Families have suffered under the past four years’ war on American energy, which prompted the worst inflation crisis in a generation. Voters re-elected President Trump by a resounding margin giving him a mandate to implement the promises he made on the campaign trail, including lowering energy costs for consumers,” Trump-Vance Transition spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.

The “U.S. energy market is moving away from coal to lower priced natural gas and renewable energy sources,” said BLM in its statement.

Of course gas is lower priced; the government has piled so many restrictions on mining and burning coal that what was once a cheap, plentiful resource that supported working families is now a pariah of the energy industry.

Montana’s Republican Sen. Steve Daines said in a statement that Biden is once again on the “attack” against coal.

“At every turn, the Biden administration has launched attack after attack on made-in-Montana energy, and the people of Montana and the rest of the country rebuked the administration for it at the ballot box,” Daines said. “… Eastern Montana is rich in coal and mining operations and the jobs and coal produced in the Powder River Basin help support our national security, bolster our energy grid and create high-paying jobs.”

Washington Examiner:

“Despite Congress’ direction that federal lands under BLM control be managed for multiple uses, the Biden administration’s crusade against responsible coal extraction continues,” wrote Gov. Mark Gordon (R-WY). “BLM’s decision intentionally ignores both the energy needs of our nation and the devastating economic impacts its decision has on Wyoming and its communities.”

Montana’s governor echoed similar sentiments.

“Once again, the Biden-Harris administration is ignoring states and crippling our energy supply,” said Gov. Greg Gianforte (R-MT). “While Montana supports an ‘all-of-the-above’ energy strategy, the White House is picking winners and losers on the president’s way out the door. Simply put, this rule will destroy coal jobs and defund public education in Montana. It’s a disaster.”

Naturally, the greens were dancing naked around a maypole, congratulating themselves for their efforts to bring the U.S. back to the horse and buggy days.

“Coal has powered our nation for many decades, but technology, economics and markets are changing radically” said Paula Antoine, Western Organization of Resource Councils board chair. “BLM’s announcement recognizes that coal’s era is ending, and it’s time to focus on supporting our communities through the transition away from coal, investing in workers, and moving to heal our lands, waters and climate as we enter a bright clean energy future.”

“As of January 2023, China had 3,092 operating coal-fired power plant units,” reports Statista. More than half the world’s coal-fired electrical generation occurs in China.

Tell them the coal “era is ending.”