Role of Federal Coal Resources in Meeting National Energy Goals Needs To Be Determined and the Leasing Process Improved

Because of its large holdings of low-sulfur coal, the Federal Government is in a key position to shape future patterns of coal development. Most of the coal lands are administered by the Department of the Interior (DOI) and may be leased to mine coal. In 1971 DOI halted the issuance of coal leases and prospecting permits because growing amounts of coal resources were being placed under lease at a time when production was falling off.