EXCLUSIVE – The Interior Department has approved a new plan for a coal mine in Wyoming, extending its lifespan by more than 10 years, the latest step in the Trump administration’s effort to bolster the coal industry.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum was poised to announce Friday afternoon that the agency approved a mining plan modification for the Antelope Mine in eastern Wyoming, a move the administration says will “unlock” 14.5 million tons of coal.
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“The Trump administration is delivering on its promise to revitalize American coal and unleash our nation’s energy potential,” Burgum said in a statement first obtained by the Washington Examiner. “This decision boosts American jobs, enhances energy security and supports communities that rely on coal to power their homes and economies.”
The modified mining plan expands the mine’s federal coal leasing area, authorizing more coal production across roughly 857 federal acres.
The decision, issued by the Interior Department’s Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, will extend the mine’s life through 2037.
Interior Department officials said a “rigorous environmental assessment” was conducted regarding the mining modifications and that no significant impact was found.
“The mining plan modification ensures the continued availability of low-sulfur, low-ash, subbituminous coal from the Powder River Basin, a key region responsible for fueling a significant portion of America’s coal-fired electricity,” an Interior Department news release reads. “The decision aligns with President Trump’s broader national energy strategy to reduce reliance on foreign sources, fortify grid reliability, and protect American jobs.”
The Antelope Mine has been in operation since 1985 and has a permitted mining capacity of 42 million tons of coal annually. It is currently operated by the Navajo Transitional Energy Company, supporting more than 350 full-time jobs.
The mine sits at the bottom of the Powder River Basin, the largest coal basin in the U.S., stretching across Wyoming and Montana.
The region experienced peak mining in 2008, when production levels hit around 466.3 million short tons of coal, according to the Wyoming State Geological Survey.
In the last 15 years, coal has faced increasing production costs while cleaner and cheaper alternatives such as natural gas have become more attractive for utilities and investors. As a result, aging coal mines and power plants have shuttered, and production levels have dropped dramatically.
In 2024, Wyoming only produced around 185 million tons of coal, marking the first time since 1992 that production in the Powder River Basin dropped below 200 million tons, according to the Cowboy State Daily.
The Trump administration has sought to reverse this trend, insisting that coal remains crucial to its plans to secure more reliable baseload power amid soaring energy demand brought on by artificial intelligence.
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“As global instability continues to threaten energy markets, the need for reliable, domestic coal has never been clearer,” acting Assistant Secretary for Land and Mineral Management Adam Suess said in a statement Friday. “This action underscores our commitment to commonsense permitting, environmental stewardship and Energy Dominance.”
In addition to extending the lifespans of coal plants and mines, the administration has taken several other actions to support the industry. The Interior Department, for example, has moved to end moratoriums on federal coal leasing, reopen federal lands to new leasing, and lower royalty rates for miners on federal lands.