119-hr280

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 280 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 280

 To require the Secretary of the Interior to take certain actions with 
respect to certain qualified coal applications, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 January 9, 2025

Ms. Hageman (for herself, Mr. Meuser, and Mrs. Miller of West Virginia) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
 Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To require the Secretary of the Interior to take certain actions with 
respect to certain qualified coal applications, and for other purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Combating Obstruction Against 
Leasing Act of 2025'' or the ``COAL Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. LEASING FOR CERTAIN QUALIFIED COAL APPLICATIONS.

    (a) 

=== Definitions. ===
-In this section:

    (1) Coal lease.--The term ``coal lease'' means a lease 
 entered into by the United States as lessor, through the Bureau 
 of Land Management, and the applicant on Bureau of Land 
 Management Form 3400-012.

    (2) Qualified application.--The term ``qualified 
 application'' means any application pending under the lease by 
 application program administered by the Bureau of Land 
 Management pursuant to the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 181 
 et seq.) and subpart 3425 of title 43, Code of Federal 
 Regulations (as in effect on the date of the enactment of this 
 Act), for which the environmental review process under the 
 National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et 
 seq.) has commenced.

    (b) Mandatory Leasing and Other Required Approvals.--As soon as 
practicable after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall promptly--

    (1) with respect to each qualified application--
        (A) if not previously published for public comment, 
 publish a draft environmental assessment, as required 
 under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 
 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and any applicable implementing 
 regulations;
        (B) finalize the fair market value of the coal 
 tract for which a lease by application is pending;
            (C) take all intermediate actions necessary to 
 grant the qualified application; and
            (D) grant the qualified application; and

    (2) with respect to previously awarded coal leases, grant 
 any additional approvals of the Department of the Interior or 
 any bureau, agency, or division of the Department of the 
 Interior required for mining activities to commence.

SEC. 3. FUTURE COAL LEASING.

 Notwithstanding any judicial decision to the contrary or a 
departmental review of the Federal coal leasing program, Secretarial 
Order 3338, issued by the Secretary of the Interior on January 15, 
2016, shall have no force or effect.
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