Federal feast for big coal

Western coal states worry that major energy companies will take advantage of the newly revised land leasing regulations to increase speculation at the expense of environmental quality and the rights of landowners and communities. The new rules give energy companies more control over where and when to mine coal, but critics feel they also give the coal industry more control over energy policy. The changes increase federal land available for leasing and give industry more say on which tracts are leased, while decreasing public participation and environmental protection. Proponents justify the lease sale on the basis of growing demand despite a current coal surplus. Companies hope to change the diligence clause and extend the time a leaseholder has to produce coal beyond 10 years, which will make state and local planning more difficult. The big losers in the rule changes will be surface owners because they will have little voice in mining decisions and the general public because the environmental assessment requirement has been downgraded to an undefined environmental analysis. (DCK)