coal mining Powder River Basin mining Wyoming.

Mining industry access to federally owned coal in northeastern Wyoming will continue under a bill headed to President Donald Trump. The measure passed the Senate on a 51-43 vote Thursday. It reverses a policy under President Joe Biden that halted federal coal leasing in the Powder River Basin, source of about 40% of the nation’s coal. Trump often praises coal and is likely to sign the measure. The Biden policy would have eventually all but ended coal mining in the basin. Still, analysts say the measure is unlikely to save the coal industry. Utilities are using more renewables, and natural gas and mining in the basin is down by half from a decade ago.