Making of federal coal policy: lessons for public lands management from a failed program, an essay and review

Journal Article · Mon Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1985 · Nat. Resour. J.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5237448

Tarlock, A D

The federal coal leasing program implemented in the 1970s has not achieved its stated objectives and has resulted in a misallocation of resources. As of 1984, federal coal still had not played a major role in meeting either total national energy supply demands or even in meeting total coal supply demands. Federal coal accounted for only 12% of the total US production in 1982. The author notes the program has failed to coordinate coal development with other government objectives such as environmental protection; the program, moreover, has not achieved a satisfactory return to the federal treasury. He feels all three branches of government must share the blame for failure of the program. The Department of the Interior's (USDI) attempts to develop a national coal leasing program failed in part because USDI could not agree on a set of workable and consistent conceptual underpinnings for the program. Administrative attempts also failed because of well-meaning but inept judicial intervention and political and economic events beyond the Department's control. Congress must also bear a good part of the blame. Congress never settled on a consistent coal use policy, and finally, after 1982-83, Congress lost faith in the USDI and attempted to legislate its own federal policy. The failure of the federal government to induce the greater use of federal coal is especially striking because ownership would seem to predict greater control over the use of the resources. 76 references.

• Research Organization: Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago
• OSTI ID: 5237448
• Journal Information: Nat. Resour. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Nat. Resour. J.; (United States) Vol. 25:2; ISSN NRJOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
015000 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Economic
Industrial
& Business Aspects
017000* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Legislation & Regulations
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290400 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Energy Resources
293000 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Policy
Legislation
& Regulation
294001 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Coal
COAL DEPOSITS
ENERGY POLICY
EVALUATION
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
LEASING
MANAGEMENT
MINERAL RESOURCES
NATIONAL GOVERNMENT
PROGRAM MANAGEMENT
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
RESOURCES