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Legislative changes are needed to authorize emergency federal coal leasing

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6516937
The Department of the Interior has established emergency leasing regulations to make federal coal available to existing operators with an urgent need for it. Existing law requires the Secretary of the Interior to issue federal coal leases, including emergency leases, on a competitive basis. Although reasonable in concept, Interior's emergency leasing regulations have been difficult to administer within a competitive framework, mainly because there is an inherent lack of competitive interest for emergency tracts which are located next to an ongoing mining operation and are needed to sustain it. The low value of these tracts on the open market contrasts with their substantial economic value to the adjacent operator needing the coal. In view of the need for emergency leasing, GAO recommends that the Congress amend the Mineral Lands Leasing Act of 1920 to authorize emergency federal coal leasing and to allow Interior to use negotiated, rather than competitive, lease sale procedures to carry it out. Such legislative changes would recognize the unique objectives of emergency leasing and allow Interior to administer it in a more pragmatic manner. 1 table.
Research Organization:
General Accounting Office, Washington, DC (USA). Office of the Comptroller General
OSTI ID:
6516937
Report Number(s):
GAO/RCED-84-17; ON: TI85900085
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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015000* -- Coal
Lignite
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017000 -- Coal
Lignite
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290200 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Economics & Sociology
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COAL DEPOSITS
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LEASING
LEGISLATION
MINERAL RESOURCES
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
RECOMMENDATIONS
RESOURCES
US DOI
US ORGANIZATIONS