Tester Statement on Biden Administration Coal Leasing Proposal

In response to the Bureau of Land Management today proposing an end to coal leases on federal land in Montana, U.S. Senator Jon Tester issued the following statement:

“I will always stand up to President Biden’s energy policies when they don’t make sense for Montana. I’m reviewing the Administration’s proposal and encourage Montanans to make their voices heard during the public comment period.”

Tester has long stood up to the Biden Administration’s energy proposals that don’t work for rural America and could raise energy costs while slashing good-paying Montana jobs.

Tester has repeatedly voiced concerns to the Biden Administration that burdensome one-size-fits-all regulations will not work for Montana and could raise energy costs while slashing good-paying Montana jobs. Earlier this month Tester pressed EPA Administrator Regan on concerns regarding the MATS rule during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing and received a commitment that they would communicate directly to work on additional flexibilities to the rule. In a follow up letter, Tester reiterated to Administrator Regan that, “rules made in Washington, D.C. need to actually make sense on the ground and I believe your agency missed the mark on this one.”