COAL Act of 2025

This bill requires the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to complete pending coal lease applications under the Mineral Leasing Act. It mandates the BLM to finalize environmental reviews, set fair market value, and approve qualified applications within a "reasonable timeframe," directly affecting coal companies with existing applications awaiting approval. The bill also overrides a 2016 Department of the Interior policy that paused coal leasing, ensuring current leasing processes proceed without further delay. Key provisions include streamlining administrative steps for existing applications and removing barriers to mining activity approvals. The law does not change environmental standards but accelerates the leasing process for applications already in review.